Marriott Vacation Club International
Reviews and Complaints

Marriott Vacation Club is ethically corrupt. Marriott foreclosed on my Ocean Point Time Share due to a $3.81 maintenance fee shortfall. Marriott stole my $16, 600 (paid cash) Time Share for just $100 at foreclosure.

As a senior citizen and a 12 year (owner) customer, Marriott's treatment of me was reprehensible and despicable. Marriott's 'core values' are a lie.

Marriott is ruthless, uncaring, unethical and its God is 'greed'. Buyer beware.

I had purchased into the Marriott "points" system and told since it was tied to any one property that the maintenance fees would be minimal. The first year they were about $600 but, by year 2 they had doubled. Year 3 came around and they went up again. Due to financial strains I made the choice to give the points back to Marriott. After signing over the points they filed it with the credit bureau as a mortgage with deed in lieu of foreclosure! I was told I was buying points. If I would have thought that it was a mortgage I would have never agreed. I already owned 1 week that was already paid off. Marriott pressure sells you on one thing then does something else after the dust settled. Marriott timeshare is a big SCAM! Get a nice hotel for the amount they charge on annual maintenance fees!

We own a 1 bedroom (sleeps 6) week at Marriott's Breckenridge Mountain Valley Lodge. We decided to trade into Interval. When we decided to use the week, it shows the unit only accommodates 4. Therefore, Interval wants to charge us a $99 fee to upgrade to a comparable unit, which they consider a 2 bedroom. We were not informed at the time of the purchase that we would be penalized for owning a 1 bedroom when wanting to trade with Interval.

We contacted Interval and they advised us to contact Marriott. We spoke with three different people with Marriott Owners Relations and no one would accommodate us. They basically told us that it was our choice to deposit with Interval and go outside of Marriott.

It would be nice if they said they would pay the $99 fee or give us Marriott points for our troubles.

In addition, two of the three people I spoke with talked over me as I was talking…they didn’t care to listen and I didn't feel they cared about their customer.

Their customer service is lacking.

We currently own 3 weeks with Marriott, use the Marriott Visa, and we are close to becoming a lifetime Platinum member.

We are owners. And for the most part satisfied.
Marriott has always clean rooms, beautiful locations, villas to make some meals and bedrooms and space for our family.
We have gone to many presentations. Hence we bought 2 weeks. We weigh the insentives for the sales and time available. We do NOT plan on purchasing any more. We state this. We want the incentive. And sometimes an "encore" package is offered. We had our vacation cancelled last fall due to hurricane Matthew...and even incurred additional repair charges. We roll with the punches, we get that.
But this last sales pitch pushed limits. It is always the same. Hand shakes, refreshments offered. This time a photo album of his family was shown, giving an added personal touch, rather than looking at professional photos on the huge screen. But when he finally got the message he turned angry.
Grabbed his keys and left and when he came back asked how we could sit there instead of. being with our family on vacation. He is not yet a parent, just a senior sales executive. When you have kids, teenagers, they want time away. WILL NEVER GO FOR ANOTHER. And wil not recommend Marriott.

On New Years Eve 2014 my family was
In the midst of a great family vacation so we agreed to go to a "presentation" (aka high pressure sales) at the Marriott Ocean Watch in Myrtle Beach. From the start we were assured that this was not a "timeshare"; but, a true vacation but-in. It took a lot of convincing but the coup de gra was the absolute guarantee that we could convert our points into "Reward Points" at such a high rate that we could stay in one of our favorite Marriott properties - El Monte Sagrado in Taos, NM (a Marriott Signature Property). So we paid 36, 000 for 3, 500 points (preferred). But before we did the sales people said "since you are a wounded veteran of the current wars we will even "give" you the small maintenance fee you pay yearly for the first year. On top of that we were to get our hotel at the adjoining Marriott property "comped" if we bought on that day.
Then the ugly kicked in. We tried to use our points and was told we had to pay our "maintenance fee". We reminded them we had agreed to not to pay it year one. So the "manager" at the "reservation center" told me to pay "now" and I could use the points for "premier" properties. He even said the second year would be "comped". Since I have always been treated good by Marriott Family and have been a Platinum Elite member many times until I had to go to
Afghanistan and Iraq, I believed them. So I paid then tried to book a property - only to find out that my points were practically worthless. I got a place adjoining the Marriott World Resort in Orlando for Christmas of 2015 for two days (I paid for the extra 5 @ 250.00 a night). So I figured out that those two nights actually cost me $39, 616.45 or almost $20, 000 a night. What a joke. I have a buyer for my points now and am going to walk away with around $10, 000 after all the "fees" to sell. Marriott claims to have the best customer service and always to treat the "guest" like family. Never thought it was the mafia family.

MVC/Marriott Barony Beach Club We booked a trip to Marriott’s Barony Beach Club through a timeshare presentation package from Marriott Vacation Club. This was our first time going to this Marriott facility. We booked our trip April 2nd thru 5th, 2016. We arrived @ 3:41 pm and were told our accommodations were not ready. We waited outside in our car at the front entrance for over an hour (until 5:00 pm), checking at the front desk every 15 – 20 minutes for an update about our accommodations, observing SEVERAL other guests checking in, receiving their complimentary bottle of wine, and the key to their rooms. As African Americans who have visited this island over the past 20 years, we were looking forward to the timeshare presentation but this horrendous treatment was more than we could bear so we left the facility. This was not a good first impression ! We have contacted the MVC headquarters in Florida, expressed our concerns regarding this horrendous experience and were told there is no way that we can get a refund.
We requested that the complaint be expedited to someone else who could handle this matter regarding a refund and was told by Ryan M. Vincenec, customer care manager that there is no one within their organization that he can submit this complaint to who will consider a refund and a late check in is not grounds for the requested refund.
This was about more than just a late check in, we feel this was a blatant experience of racism.

We expected a higher class of standards from a Marriott based on previous facilities where we have resided. This is what Marriott advertises as their core values: As we change and grow, the beliefs that are most important to us stay the same—putting people first, pursuing excellence, embracing change, acting with integrity and serving our world. I was involved in an incident that does not live up to any of these values!

Desired Outcome: Full refund of approximately $715.00.($299.00 charged to my credit card for the timeshare presentation weekend and the $415.80 charged to my credit card for April 02, 2016 when I didn't stay at the Marriott Barony Beach Club due to the offensive treatment that I received.)

I have been trying to get rid of this timeshare for 15 years. You pay to exchange, you pay to join Interval, you pay annual fees. They lie to you: I have requested points at times and they say it's too late, you did it last year (later found to be false), they use to give you reasonable rent now they are the only ones that make money. We were told when this was built out there would be no more, get in on it now! Well they built about 10 more properties with the same concept in the same area since then. Asked Marriott to sell and they told me the waitlist/backlog was 7-10 years. Paid to sell on timeshare sales sites also - no one wants them! Service is terrible except when it comes to billing.

In 2009 our family vacationed at the Marriott Vacation Club in St. Kitts and decided to purchase. We signed the contract and paid in full. Our paperwork said the deed could take up to 1 year to be sent. It is now almost 7 years later and we still have not received a deed. Repeated attempts over the years to get help from Marriott have resulted in absolutely nothing. We do not even have proof that they (Marriott) initiated the deed paperwork when we purchased or any confirmation that the documents were sent to the proper office. Marriott says we have to pursue this matter with the High Court Registry in St. Kitts ourselves.
We are disgusted with the shabby treatment we have received from Marriott .
We can't even consider transferring or selling our timeshare without a deed.

The issue is that we have been frequenting Hilton Head Island for the past few years, on and off. We don’t own there, but we always were able to exchange into it. We have never had a problem booking until the last couple of years. Last year we opted for Florida. However, this year, our family was set on returning to Hilton Head Island for a family and friend getaway. Unfortunately, ever since Marriot Vacations went on their point base system, getting into Hilton Head Island has been actually impossible.
We were flexible six months ago, but as our vacation time draws near, and the rest of the family already picked a date and place, our situation has changed. We have not even been able to get on a wait list for the past six months. This was never the case at Hilton Head Island, with so many resorts, we always found something.
Just to add some more frustration, I called this past weekend, and Customer Service Supervisor, who only gave her name as “Ashley”, very rudely asked me if “I wanted her to build me my own unit”, that she could only “rent” me a unit, and if I didn’t like her attitude, I could hang up and call again. So, this is what obtaining “Presidential” status gained us? So, I asked charming Ms“Ashley” to give me to her supervisor, she said “both supervisors are busy, you can hold indefinitely, or wait three business days for a call back. I opted for the indefinite wait .. after all it was Sunday, and I really didn’t have anything else to do … right?
So about 20 minutes later, I got Matt Palmer, a supervisor who found me a couple of “wait list” spots and offered to check Interval International to see if we could get into the Marriott Monarch, or another Ocean front resort that we would prefer for the week of June 25th, through July 2nd, 2016 time frame. So, I am waiting to see what evolves from Mr. Palmer’s findings.
The frustrating and sad point is that there are tons of home/condo rentals in the island, but nothing that we can use. We are heavily invested into these timeshares paying thousands of dollars’ worth of properties, points and maintenance fees. We are worse off than our family and friends who very easily rented ocean side homes for less than what we have invested in Marriott Vacations.

We stayed in Marriott Vacation Club and there were meetings, and if the customers attended them, the club provided free vouchers. When we were there, we missed the breakfast and thought to use our free vouchers. We have used these vouchers, but when the time came to prolong our agreement with this company, the owner asked to pay additional 10%. He hesitated and added that it was because of the card, which we used to pay for the services in this hotel. We asked to cancel our agreement then, because we didn’t want to pay for such stupid things.

I own two weeks at the marriot aruba surfclub. When I purchased, they were convincing us to buy two units so that we can call in 13 months in advance to get our desired dates. Not true! When you call on the date you are allowed too at exactly 9am a recording comes on saying all lines are busy call back later" and cut you off. When you do finally get through your left on hold for up to a half hour, and by that time you ask for your requested dates your told their no longer available. You can ask for a supervisor, and they will tell you the same bs. They'll offer you a week before or after as if their doing you a huge favor, never thinking people work, and children have school schedules. Also when I purchased, I was led to believe I am purchasing in a particular building, when I get there I am put in a different building, and when I complained they changed their story and say you bought at the surrfclub not in a particular building. The maintenance fees are so exorbitant that one can go to a beautiful luxury hotel for less. They have a resale department, however they donot resell your timeshare nor buy it back, they'll tell you to go to a website and list it. Last year when my family, and I were at the marriott surf club our flights home were cancelled due to snowstorms, and we had to find other loging. At 10 am checkout time they shut our internet access off, and left us on our to find a way to communicate with other hotels. Going to complain was useless. They'll promise you everything when their getting you to buy, once you buy your buying into a scam!

Harbor Pointe is a timeshare at Hilton Head. It is a modest resort, not located on the ocean and not luxurious or a destination center. It's just OK. We bought it as a resale for $5000 many years ago. Marriott Vacation Club took over management and did some needed maintenance. The maintenance fees were raised as a consequence. However, every year since, the fees have escalated unreasonably. I knew that timeshares were not great investments but the current fee of $1244 for one week bears no resemblance to the actual, justifiable costs of the resort. At this time, the fee is higher than the market value of a week's rental on Hilton Head. It is obviously a license to charge as much as they can. A Marriott salesman told me that Harbor Pointe is not worth much to trade or bank "points". I am stuck with an obligation to pay the extortionate fees year after year for a property that is a white elephant that I am unable to sell or even give away. Let the buyer of timeshares beware.

Marriott vacation club is a horrible scam when selling you they promise the world but when you try to use outside of your home resort there is never anything available you will lose points not have anything flexible and there seem to be lots of things they do not tell you in their high pressure sales presentation when you have points expiring which will be lost they consistently try to swap you for golf tickets beware you will be told whatever you need to hear to buy but not what you need to know there are too many goofy rules that there is no possible way for them to review in the sales pitch you are far better using you $ to take a trip elsewhere the maintenance fees are outrageous and just keep coming you soon realize how nice of a trip you can really take for the maintenance fees much less the purchase price

Its incredible difficult to book a vacation through their website The website they show you when making the purchase is much different then the one you get to choose once you are an owner. I have tried to book a vacation for 3 months The website doesnt tell you why its not available. I have friends that are trading in a non-marriott for this Marriott and booked the exact dates and rooms I wanted .I guess they are new blood for the Marriott live and learn

When Marriott Vacation Club took over and told us we didn't need to pay Interval Int anymore but would have to pay a yearly fee of $100 to Marriott instead. I paid this $100, yearly however my last bill for these dues has gone up to $225. Seems very disingenuous, bait and switchy. Did anyone else notice this increase?

Anyone else having issues with the rental program? For the second year in a row, I am having a great deal of difficulty getting paid, or even a response from MVCI Customer Service. I fax in my financial information to the number provided, get confirmation it was successfully received, and get no confirmation back. Nearly two months later, no payment. I contacted customer service twice, and they tell me the "rental office is closed today" or they have to research it and get back to me. Still waiting. Last year, I was asked to fax sensitive financial information 3 times and had to make a dozen or more phone calls before getting paid, with no explanation as to where my financial information went the first two times. I think it may be time for a governing body to investigate their inability to properly treat personal and financial information as well as their "confusion" about paying a rental fee per the written contract.

My wife and I signed a Marriott Vacation Club Contract in Las Vegas with the assurance that we could cancel within 10 days (buyer's remorse). We e-mailed both Marriott sales people involved 5 days later notifying them that we were cancelling. No response. I phoned both representatives the next day and left messages. No response. The following day, the 7th day, I sent an overnight letter to both via UPS with confirmation of delivery the morning of the 8th day and phoned again and left messages. Dealing with this organization gives new meaning to "buyer's remorse". I would advise anyone to have nothing to do with them.