Grand Mayan woes!!!

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

Was just looking around on-line with my account only to find that my confirmed 2 bedroom CHRISTMAS week exchange in to the GRAND MAYAN Cancun appears to have been cancelled!!!!!! I know - I'm not the first, but one always assumes that "it wont happen to me". I now have to wait until tomorrow morning when RCI opens to find out what the heck is going on. Needless to say, we have airfare for 5 booked at over $1200 each !!! ARRGGHHH.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Here we go again. This seens to happen any time there is a holiday.
Well if it makes you feel any better. It happened to me as well for a Presidents week. I had 3 GM units and lost 1. They did place my guest in a standard MP but it caused a ton of heartache. They also did it to my cousin for the same week in her account as well.GM blamed Rci and Rci blamed GM. Who knows who screwed up?

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

Thanks for the faint hope!

I am just so sick about this. I dont suppose pleading will have any effect at all. I just hope that they will offer us Mayan Palace. I cant imagine trying to find accomodation at this late date!

[NJmom Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close NJmom]

The only good thing is if you can get a regular MP unit in Cancun there is no difference in ammenities. In NV there is the whole GM area that you are not allowed to access. Good Luck!

[zdxlc9p6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zdxlc9p6]

From what I have read it the past, this seems to only happen with RCI exchanges. I have a GM reservation for January through SFX. Has anyone reported problems with GM cancellations of reservations made through SFX? THANKS!

[itchyfeet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close itchyfeet]

So sorry to hear about your cancellation. It is certainly heartbreaking when you think you have a certain resort & RCI does this. I don' think I'll ever book GM thru RCI because of what they're doing to their customers when it comes to these resorts. We have two units booked at the GM Nuevo Vallarta thru SFX for 11/25 - 12/2. I'll let you know when we get back how things go.

[Barbeque Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Barbeque]

http://www.mexicomayanresorts.com/


This appears to be RCI. They are renting lots of space.
The Mayan Resorts are their real client not the RCI member.

Sorry about your cancellation. We wanted to go to the Grand Mayan and that is why we joined SFX, after advice here on Timeshare Forums. I think it will be a good move for other areas as well.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

http://www.mexicomayanresorts.com/


This appears to be RCI. They are renting lots of space.
The Mayan Resorts are their real client not the RCI member.

Sorry about your cancellation. We wanted to go to the Grand Mayan and that is why we joined SFX, after advice here on Timeshare Forums. I think it will be a good move for other areas as well.

I tried that site for a Christmas week at GM Nuevo, and the site said there was no space available.

Cancun, the site of interest to the OP, isn't offered at that site, so I don't think that rentalsvia that site could be the "cause" of her problem.

[Barbeque Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Barbeque]

I was using Mexicomayanresorts as an example of how RCI is intertwined very heavily with the Mayan resorts. I had seen the link for the Grand Mayan weeks from a Sherman's Travel top 20. Exchangers are given a song and dance and have had that between RCI and the Mayan's for years since the downgrades to the Sea Garden. I know that more posters have complained about Nuevo downgrades than Cancun. This whole thing smells of bait and switch. Add the price for a 1 bedroom and a hotel unit and see how much they are really renting the cancelled exchanges for. A big incentive to put off an exchanger.

Here is Extra Vacations from March including Easter week from RCI'S site They are renting these weeks at big dough.
Add
THE GRAND MAYAN NUEVO VALLARTA (#7491)
AV.PASEO DE LAS MORAS S/N
FRACC. NAUTICO TURISTICO NUEVO VALLARTA , Nayarit , 63000 Mexico

Unit Options
Select Unit Type Max Occ/Privacy Kitchen Check-in Date Check-out Date Nightly
Value* Weekly
Value*
1 Bedroom 5 / 4 Partial 03/02/2007 03/09/2007 $261.00 $1,829.99
Hotel 2 / 2 None 03/02/2007 03/09/2007 $187.00 $1,309.99
1 Bedroom 5 / 4 Partial 03/09/2007 03/16/2007 $261.00 $1,829.99
Hotel 2 / 2 None 03/09/2007 03/16/2007 $187.00 $1,309.99
Hotel 2 / 2 None 03/16/2007 03/23/2007 $187.00 $1,309.99
1 Bedroom 5 / 4 Partial 03/16/2007 03/23/2007 $261.00 $1,829.99
1 Bedroom 5 / 4 Partial 03/23/2007 03/30/2007 $261.00 $1,829.99
Hotel 2 / 2 None 03/23/2007 03/30/2007 $187.00 $1,309.99
1 Bedroom 5 / 4 Partial 03/30/2007 04/06/2007 $349.00 $2,099.99
Hotel 2 / 2 None 03/30/2007 04/06/2007 $239.00 $1,439.99
Hotel 2 / 2 None 04/06/2007 04/13/2007 $205.00 $1,439.99
1 Bedroom 5 / 4 Partial 04/06/2007 04/13/2007 $299.00 $2,099.99

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

Yep, bait and switch.

So, RCI phoned today and I got the standard line. The Mayan palace group claims that an error was made and that GM units were spacebanked when it should have been MP units. I asked how many people were affected and the "specialist" said he had 10 - 12 cases and all other specialists had about the same. I believe he said there were 5 other specialists. You can do the math! When I questioned "Why ME" he said that it would be the units banked directly by the resort, not the owners. I was offered a unit in MP for the same week and assured very vigorously that the units were of equal calibre. When I pointed out that even MP themselves distinguish between the two on their website, I could not budge him from the assertion that they were equivalent. not that it really matters anyway, 'cos what the heck else am I going to do. With airfare for 5 booked and it being Christmas week and all..........
At this point I am not rocking the boat too hard as I have a 1 bedroom booked for the following week. It was booked in conjunction with 2 friends each with 1 bedroom exchanges AND another friend who rented for the week ($3500CDN) It will be VERY interesting to see how they are going to handle that one, as the rental was made with the explicit expectation of being in the same building as the exchanges! (Yeah, i know that they could have bought a timeshare for the cost of the exchange - but they dont want the hassle, Im beginning to see why!)Here's hoping that they will at least leave that week alone, although I am not holding my breath.
Of course, when I brought up the whole RCI has a moral obligation to protect its exchangers I got the "we have to walk a fine line - we cant afford to lose Mayan Palace properties" routine. Talk about an incestuous relationship!

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

So, RCI phoned today and I got the standard line. The Mayan palace group claims that an error was made and that GM units were spacebanked when it should have been MP units. I asked how many people were affected and the "specialist" said he had 10 - 12 cases and all other specialists had about the same. I believe he said there were 5 other specialists. You can do the math! When I questioned "Why ME" he said that it would be the units banked directly by the resort, not the owners. I was offered a unit in MP for the same week and assured very vigorously that the units were of equal calibre. When I pointed out that even MP themselves distinguish between the two on their website, I could not budge him from the assertion that they were equivalent. not that it really matters anyway, 'cos what the heck else am I going to do. With airfare for 5 booked and it being Christmas week and all..........
At this point I am not rocking the boat too hard as I have a 1 bedroom booked for the following week. It was booked in conjunction with 2 friends each with 1 bedroom exchanges AND another friend who rented for the week ($3500CDN) It will be VERY interesting to see how they are going to handle that one, as the rental was made with the explicit expectation of being in the same building as the exchanges! (Yeah, i know that they could have bought a timeshare for the cost of the exchange - but they dont want the hassle, Im beginning to see why!)Here's hoping that they will at least leave that week alone, although I am not holding my breath.
Of course, when I brought up the whole RCI has a moral obligation to protect its exchangers I got the "we have to walk a fine line - we cant afford to lose Mayan Palace properties" routine. Talk about an incestuous relationship!

I feel for you as I have been there myself with there games.

Should I say Happy Birthday.

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

Thanks BigFrank. It was a bit of a birthday present to find out that at least we wouldn't have to sleep on the beach!

[pittle Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pittle]

happymum - before you go, email the concierge to tell them what happened. Even though you will be at the regular Mayan Palace, if you request a room in the newer units along the golf course, you will be pleasantly surprised as to how nice they are. They are smaller versions of the Grand Mayan. They do not have balconies, but the furnishings are similar. They are closer to the road to catch the bus, but further from the beach. You can catch the shuttle at the lobby to the pool area or call for the shuttle to come to your building if the walk is too much for you. We actually enjoyed the walk since once we get to the pool/beach area, we tend to plop on a chaise lounge and read. We needed the exercise.

We are going to the MP Riviera Maya in Feb. We are owners and are requesting the newer units for the 2 weeks we are not in the Grand.

It is a great resort. You will have to get up early to snag a palapa bed, but it is worth it for at least one day.

[muranojo Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close muranojo]

Sorry, I double-posted as I'm getting used to your site.

[muranojo Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close muranojo]

[QUOTE=happymum;90314] When I questioned "Why ME" he said that it would be the units banked directly by the resort, not the owners. I was offered a unit in MP for the same week and assured very vigorously that the units were of equal calibre. When I pointed out that even MP themselves distinguish between the two on their website, I could not budge him from the assertion that they were equivalent. (QUOTE]

Though I've never been to a GM, I do understand the GM is an uplift from the MP, thought MP is still nice. Especially, given this is prime season, I can understand your frustration, and hope it all works out well.
There really are two differnt resort I.D.s in RCI for MP and GM which distinguish the resort deposits from the 'owner deposits' (which is a bit of a laugh, as owners do deposit, but we have no control over what week we will get in our exchange bucket to trade with, but this may be a typical scenario for bulk-spacebanking resorts and a different topic discussion).

Back to your case, the question I would have for RCI would be: if you don't allow owners who deposit to rent out their exchanged weeks because, once deposited, they "belong to RCI"--then why do you allow MP to deposit weeks and then backout, asserting the deposit was a goofup? MP deposits to RCI should have "belonged" to RCI, so RCI should push back on Mayan to protect the interests of it's members. (But you're right--somehow they're in bed.)