Xanadu Timeshare Grand Bahamas Experience
The following Xanadu Timeshare Experience was shared by a reader of this website:
RCI and Xanadu Hotel in Grand Bahamas August 2011
We are RCI members and just took our one week vacation for the first time. We went to Freeport on Grand Bahamas Island. RCI is sending people to a miserable place and will not take Xanadu Hotel and Resort off their list.
The Xanadu hotel in Grand Bahamas is not a resort today. It is not a hotel today. It may pass for a youth hostel but only for those with enough money to rent a car, as there is no transportation in walking distance – so it is not a good youth hostel either. The Xanadu is a dilapidated “resort” that has been closed for two years from having been hit by a hurricane, and is thought to be abandoned by most people on the island other than RCI.
There is no food or beverages in walking distance, none. There is no ice available, no shuttle to get food, no phone, no air conditioning, no staff worth a dime, no internet, nobody willing to provide essential needs to support life. This 12 story building is being sold, so the lights are off in the hallways and the bathroom bulbs have been removed. There is a strong musty smell on every floor in every hallway and in every room, and everywhere it is hot, stuffy, and mold is here, if your asthmatic your in danger.
The guests here predominantly arrived from the RCI network and they are very upset and have been shouting in the lobby every day since we arrived. The only conversation you can engage in is how much RCI members are hating RCI for doing this to them and all that is broken in the building. That is why I am appealing to the power of networking and gathering names of those who had this happen to them. The few staff members that are here have heard these complaints for over a year and they are not happy with their job of placating people, it is beneath them to work there, I know, I’ve talked to them.
The phone number here and all the phones have been disconnected for a long time with no way to call in or out. Our two bedroom unit with a kitchen never became available, so I lost all the groceries that I purchased when I arrived. There is nothing to do here. There are no amenities, no food on site, no entertainment or even a radio on the night stand. Taxi fare to get to an activity cost $30 each way. The elevator is unsafe and closed on my mother’s arm, crushing her elbow and has no safety mechanism to open back up, and its safety certificate expired months ago. My 8 year old son and I were trapped for several minutes in the elevator not knowing if it would work again or if there would be anyone to hear our calls. He was obviously very scared.
The electronic lock on my mother’s room quit working, so in the darkness and the heat of the hallway, my door was opened with a crow bar and now I have a room, but no door. My door has stayed that way throughout our stay. The water in the building quit three days into this disaster and everyone was told that the air conditioning would be back on in “two hours” then “tomorrow morning” then by “tonight before you sleep” and these assurances were unrealistic and everyone knew it, but nobody knew why. After several days of being suspicious, I found out that the real reason for no repair work being done was because they only called one repair person and he was on vacation! Had I not told them that my mother’s asthma medication was inside her room they were not going to call a locksmith.
They wanted all five of us to sleep in two twin beds! The reason was “the phones are down” and “ he isn’t answering his phone”, so they told me I had to “wait until the morning for him to show up” and I lost it! There is only locksmith on the entire island? Only one AC repair person on the island? I have now become a lesser person, I finally cracked. The owner of this place is rich beyond measure, owns over 80% of the island, but the few people he employs have to use their own cell phones to call out and of course they don’t want to do this, because it costs them money, so they don’t call around to find solutions to problems. The manager seems scared to come out of his office to handle any problems.
When finally getting through to RCI using the assistance of a manager from another RCI accredited resort (a real resort) they finally admitted they were unable to help and did not offer any rebate. They also didn’t keep records of ever having spoken with me or this manager, even when specifically asked to keep a record of our conversations, so I had to complain all over again, four calls in total. This failure to follow customer complaints happened to several other people, because obviously keeping records would hold RCI responsible to cease sending people to this resort. RCI instead robotically told everyone that “Xanadu meets minimum RCI requirements”, so they are still sending people here. New pissed off RCI members are arriving every week in spite of all the emails and all the phone calls to customer service reps and “supervisors” in Indiana. Xanadu should not be on their list.
If I had been informed of the conditions here, I would have gladly saved over $2000 dollars and priceless amounts of grief. Now my party of five, which includes an 8 year old child and a 75 year old disabled woman with asthma, are all stranded here! This is a disaster! RCI has been well informed of the conditions here and are unwilling to delist Xanadu on Grand Bahamas Island, so I am writing to tell anyone who will listen if you should be an RCI member and land at Xanadu (“resort”) be well informed RCI knows the facts of the conditions here. Those who live on the island are also familiar with this place and that the current owner of Xanadu is wealthy beyond measure, but doesn’t care. RCI is too busy counting the money they are saving by sending un-expecting members to this place and dealing with the fallout afterward, so it is my intention that a more realistic fallout is a law suit.
Please share your experiences with Xanadu if you are an RCI member. Include the dates you came so that I may include you in a class action tort claim, specifically if there is no record of your complaints at RCI either, as this will be revealed in a subpoena of their records.
Click Here to Email Directly if Preferred
EVERY SINGLE PERSON NEEDS TO GO ON RCI WEB SITE AND LEAVE A HORRIBLE HORRIBLE REVEIW LEASE PEOPLE ARE BIGGER CROOKS THAT XANADU
Xanadu Vacations International Limited owe us 2 weeks vacation at the Xanadu Beach Resort and Marina through a prepaid vacation purchase since 2006.We have paid in FULL but have not been able to contact anyone. What are my options?
I guess I will add my name to the long list of people who have been taken for a ‘ride’ by Xanadu and good ole Conrad Credit. We paid CASH for our timeshare and never ONCE got into the place!! always always always booked… or ‘you have no week’. then after paying dues for years and years we get this bill from Conrad for $525.00 for a place that doesn’t exist anymore, followed the very next month by a bill for TWICE the amount. After numerous calls to Conrad with NO SATISFACTION; they now have placed this on my husbands credit (since 2010) and is affecting our ability to get home line of credit so we can repair our home from hurricane damage. WHAT A SCAM!! any news on a Class Action Suit? Want to ADD MY NAME!!
Same here…prob bout 2010. resort was marginal but was told new owner was investing big $$$ to get it world class and we could get in before rates reflected the improvements. when it was time to use our timeshare for first time…it was closed. no help. no explanation. just closed. I quit paying the maintenance fees after trying to make the collectors understand that there was no longer a resort to pay for. they have since filed complaint and is basically bullying for payment of services NEVER rendered. IS FRAUD
Has anyone filed a lawsuit against Xanadu and has their been a class action or proof of fraudulent practices? I work for the government and I am about to lose my employment over these items being reported on my credit.
I realize that many of these are older posts, but has anyone gotten any resolution the the problem of Conrad Credit?
They definitely report to the credit reporting agencies and are very aggressive in their collection methods. If anyone has any knowledge of a lawsuit or any action that has been taken against Xanadu, please let me know. I want to be rid of these people. I don’t know what to do because I can’t afford to have my otherwise excellent credit continuously damaged by them.
Curious to know if any is being done by anyone regarding a lawsuit or a class actionn suit against Xanadu or Conrad Acceptance Group?
Was a class action suit ever filed? I too list my $22,000 investment with RCI and all privileges. XANADU was where we purchased this time share. Have nothing for it now.
Same here. I actually had forgotten about him for so many years but I found my contracts. And then I made me go look to see if they even existed anymore since we hadn’t heard anything. Yeah too bad to just lose money. This was sadly on my part a purely emotional buying decision. I have never made that mistake again because I knew after we left that was a dumb decision
i got ripped by xanadu also. soon after we bought it closed down. i see by all these complaints many people have been ripped off also. if anyone has been able to fight them please let me know.
I am a lawyer in Pennsylvania. I represent an owner who is experiencing the same issues listed in this site. Does anyone know of a lawyer in the Bahamas who has filed a lawsuit over this situation? if so, please give me his/her name and number. thanks.
Frank baldo
Well, I’m sad to say that I bought into Xanadu Timeshare several years ago. I’ve never been able to return for a vacation due to several personal family disasters. This is the first I have heard about all this. I just received a bill for maintainance fees of $500 from Conrad Corp. I don’t want to pay fees for a resort that is closed and falling apart. Is there anything I can do to get my money back or trade for another ‘working’ resort? Thank you in advance for any information you can share.
Charlotte
Where does all this stand now? I too am a Xanadu customer being threatened.
Hello All. We’ve just discovered this site whilst doing research into a ‘Demand’ from Tyrone ! This is the first we’ve learnt of these horror stories, it is indeed appalling. Needless to say that Tyrone has not answered any of my numerous emails to him, they are going in daily regardless of a response. If there is any action taken or contemplated we would gladly join with it. Best regards to all.
I think they are just trying to scare people into paying them. First, we get a letter from Xanadu in 2012 saying we needed to pay $500 or we would go to collections, so we paid it. Mind you that was the first notice we ever got. Then we get a threatening letter from Conrad (their “collection agency” if that indeed what it really is) saying we needed to pay $500 immediately about 6 months ago (Didn’t pay it). And, now we just got a letter from Xanadu saying we need to pay $500. I don’t think they have a leg to stand on and it’s all scare tactics to get us to send them the money. I called and demanded a physical address. It took 3 people to give it to me! When I said I’ll be taking legal action against them, they asked which company, I stated Xanadu and she got real quiet. Tried to get my account info but, I would not give it to her. It’s a bunch of shady business going on here!
I’m also an owner at Xanadu Vacation International. I’m currently going through the process of a resort transfer. After reading these complaints I now realize that I am probably waisting more money.
Are you transferring in the Bahamas?
I’m using a third party transfer company here in Florida. How long has the resort been closed?
About three years. They offer us a sister resort in the Bahamas but I brought in so that I can travel anywhere we no longer have an exchange program to do that.
Are you having any luck with a transfer? This has been a nightmare for us for the past 4 years now. We just received another bill today for $500. Has anyone taken legal action against them for breach of contract?
Has anyone contacted a attorney?
Here are email sent to Tyrone. We told them clearly we do not want to be released this is bull.
Also you have been temporary closed for quite some time with a for sale sign. Please accommodate my request.
Sent from my iPad
On Oct 19, 2013, at 1:08 PM, [email redacted] wrote:
We have informed Conrad agency that we are not releasing our agreement nor do we plan on doing so in the near future. We paid our dues and membership in full what is the problem?
Sent from my iPad
On Oct 19, 2013, at 11:35 AM, tyrone wrote:
Good morning Ms.Rosas,
I have been in contact with our collection agency, The Conrad Co. and have been advised that there is an outstanding mutual release awaiting your response. Please advise me of your intent regarding the release. The resort is temporarily closed, however, alternative accommodations may be arranged for you at our sister property, Viceroy condominium complex. I await your reply.
Regards,
Tyrone
> Subject: Points or weeks.
> From: drosas
> Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:39:30 -0400
> To: [email redacted]
>
>
> Tyrone if I wanted to book a stay for 4 nights will I be charged points? How is this working now?
>
Please include me and sandy bakhitiar in any lawsuits. I refuse to get out of my memebership and want to be accommodated and they keep telling us for two years the hotel is temporary closed I do know it is up for sale. So if we paid into this why are we not being serviced?
I am still waiting to hear about a class action suit
Irene
We are in the same boat – having a Timeshare with Xanadu Vacation Club. RCI has taken this resort off of their exchange program and now there are no points, no resort and we will be paying maintaince fees for a resort that is up for sale. I will be calling Tyrone to get out of our contract also! Let me know if there is a class action suit.
I am in the same boat, could you please forward me Tyrone’s number so I can try to get out of my contract? Please email me any info that you can. It is much appreciated! [email redacted]
thank you and good luck!
I am going through the same thing as many other owners at Xanadu Vacation Club. I am irrate at having to pay a maintaince fee that has doubled in the last few years, even though the resort is closed. I would appreciate any information that you can forward to me so that I can contact Tyrone. I want out of the contract and do not want to put anymore money is his pocket.
I am also in the same boat, but am not going to pay maintenance fees for a resort that is closed. Let me know where I can also be part of the class action suit.
Am in the same boat as you all. I paid cash for my timeshare and have not stayed there at all. I got 1 week through RCI and then RCI dropped them and I was not notified. Have never been able to stay at Xanadu and will not pay a maintenance fee on buildings that are falling apart and the resort is closed. I have photos of tiles hanging off the roof and no one there but a security guard who didn’t say 1 word to me as I walked around talking photos. Would like to join a class action suit. Just got a 21 day notice to pay $500 from Tyrone. That maint. fee is to maintain the resort and it is closed. Preposterous!
We are in the same boat. Please include me in any information that could be helpful.
I am a owner sad to say at Xanadu. I have been trying to book a vacation through RCI. RCI took my annual fee knowing they had removed Xanadu from their list of resorts. I called RCI many, many times and they gave me the runaround. I have racked up phone bills to the Bahamas for about a year trying to get someone to rectify this situation. I spoke to Tyrone Thurston, and Nellie Forbes and they refused to call me back. I have paid my maintenance fee and got nothing in return. I would love to be added to a class action law suit against them. To add insult to injury, I just spoke with Tyrone and he stated 1year later that I can vacation a two resorts their while Xanadu is being renovated. He also stated that they would release me from my contract without any compensation was the best that they could do.
Cythina…Did they state which 2 resorts? I’m in the same boat as you are…just wondering what my options are.
He (Tyrone) did the same with my wife and I. I paid the rip off cancellation fee just to cut my loses. I may have kept it just for the RCI points, but after RCI no longer gave points, there was no use because we could never book at the resort. To bad this was once a very nice place with some great people.