I am disabled. My wife (who is also my caregiver) and I visited Pacific Monarch Resorts for a time share presentation. We were contacted by Pacific Monarch after entering a drawing to "win a car or $10,000.00" and asked to attend a 90 minute presentation, to receive a free trip to Las Vegas and a free trip to Catalina.By the way, we were billed for these "free" trips. The fees were so high we did not attend the Las Vegas trip.
An appointment was made and we proceeded to attend our 90 minute presentation. When we arrived in Encino, Ca. At the presentation office, we were greeted by a sales girl who abruptly approached my service animal. Of course, my service animal went into the protection mode and gave me notice that this stranger was approaching rapidly and without knowledge to me. I knew at once that this agent had had no training in ADA law and especially the dealings with service animals. Employees that are trained in ADA law know that never at any time are they to approach, touch or speak with a working animal. I have met children on the street that know this and tell me that they would like to pet my dog but they know that they can't because it is working. This was my first indication that Pacific Monarch has not properly provided ADA training to their employees. Shame On You Pacific Monarch!
This same employee asked that we follow her into the presentation room. We walked right through the common presentation room, down a long hall and into a small dark room. No air, hard chairs and no water or beverages of any type were allowed. At some point during the 90 minutes, a second sales agent was brought into the small room to try and hammer us with sales tactics. It was then that we were informed that we were brought into the small room and segregated from the public presentation because we had a dog. We decided it was time to leave. We did not want to buy a time share with a company that had no knowledge of ADA laws, respect of disabled persons, or lawful treatment of service animals.
We attempted to leave and the door was blocked by a third sales agent, a large man. We felt trapped by this "bouncer". I told the overly aggressive sales agents that we were feeling ill and needed to leave. This did not work. I then told them that the dog needed to go out to the doggy rest room and must have water and food.By this time, it had been over 3 hours. The first sales agent took my caregiver and service animal out to the back of the building and into an alley. Why not the front grass area? My caregiver felt that she was under close guard.
All of the hard sell and hostage treatment went on for five long brutal hours. Finally when I nearly fell out of the hard chair, my caregiver grabbed me by the arm and just busted through the guarded door and we escaped the sales agents and the building.
I and my caregiver were made sick from the experience. We are still suffering from the pain that these sales agents caused us.
I contacted the CEO of Pacific Monarch Resorts in Laguna Hills, Mr. Mark Post. Nothing came from my letter of complaint, so having no other choice, I filed a small claims lawsuit. Shame on you Mark Post and Pacific Monarch!
Contact was later made by three Pacific Monarch Resort attorneys after they receieved my court summons. They drew up a settlement agreement which contained a clause that I dismiss my suit "with prejudice" prior to the hearing date, then a check for settlement would be supplied within two weeks. It's been three months and still no settlement check.
After the agreement was made and my case was dismissed, these attorneys wanted additional information that would strictly benefit only Pacific Monarch. They refused to complete the settlement agreement. Pacific Monarch deceived me into dismissing my case, denying me my day in court and then breached the agreement, all to their full advantage. Shame on you Pacific Monarch!
Pacific Monarch left me with no relief as their settlement agreement had me dismiss my case "with prejudice" which means I can never sue them again for the same cause of action. They can and did get away with discriminating and injuring disabled persons.
Get a hotel closer to your destinations and stay away from Pacific Monarch Resorts!
Shame on them!
Oxnard, California
U.S.A.
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