In August of I have received a mail advertising a new travel agency in the area. The ad promised to give two free airline tickets and free nights to Los Cabos and other couple locations and a free cruise. I had my doubts about validity of their statements but decided to give it a shot. I set through a 90-minute presentation in Vancouver, WA, during which I have asked multiple questions, trying to find the loop holes. All the answers sounded logical and lured me in to believing what they were saying is true.
They were selling the Travel To Go memberships. The membership contract offered 4 weeks of lodging at the four and five-star resorts for the price of $398.00 per week for the studio up to $798.00 per two-bedroom suits at the worldwide locations. You could also purchase extra weeks at your choice of thousands condo resorts for the fraction of the price. They have also claimed that they provide the best air fare prices in the country, and render superior assistance in all of your travel needs (tickets, lodging, car rental, travel advice, etc.)
I have paid the reduced to $3,995.00 membership price that would provide me with two weeks of vacation per year at the price of $398.00 per week for the studio size condo.in addition to the price, there is an annual fee of $200. You could also get a hot week lodging for the price of $199.00/week, if reserve one week or less in advance depending on availability. However, I was reassured that they work with 3,000 different resorts worldwide and will always find a suitable accommodation. Being a savvy traveler, I thought I did a good deal that evening until I tried to use their services.
My first great disappoint of discovering misstatements made during the presentation when I tried to book free promotional air fare using Fly Away certificate I have received at the presentation. The certificate entitled me to two free air fare and 3 nights stay at the hotel for two people. My only obligation to pay was for taxes. Apparently that "free" turned nothing but free when I was asked to pay nearly $600.00. It hardly can be considered a free trip even with all the additional charges like taxes.in consideration of all the restrictions applied to the offer, it was the best thing for me but pass on this trip.
My second disappointed came in January when I tried to book international air fare from Moldova to Portland OR. I called Travel To Go for assistance because it was claimed during the sales presentation that the agency provides the very best fares in the country. I spoke to Jonathan Brown (extension # 146). His quote was $1,645. It was unacceptably high. So I had to use an independent travel agent to get a quote of $1,330. Travel To Go quote was over than by $300 higher.
In the next occasion I spoke to Jonathan again on February 20th, trying to get a quote for air fare to Mexico and two nights of accommodation. I already have 7 nights accommodation at Los Cabos that I purchased somewhere else and I needed two more days of hotel or condo stay. First, I was shocked by Mr. Brown's suggestion address my travel needs to the same place that I purchased my other 7 days accommodation at. Then he suggested that I do my bookings on line instead of calling the agent. Finally, after I have insisted to help me he agreed to get back to me with his quote. He was supposed to email me the information.instead, I have never heard back from him.
My final and most important issue arose when I tried to exercise my right to book accommodation using my travel certificate that entitle me to two weeks of accommodation at the studio-size unit for $398/week when booked month or more in advance and $198/week when booked one week in advance. So I tried to book trip to Hawaii for August dates of 2008. I called Travel To Go again on February 21st and spoke to Gloria Simpson (extension # 135). She told me that the agencys inventory does not have accommodation for the dates I wanted. On the dates that she has offered, she still could not provide the promised price of maximum of $398.00/week for the studio. We spoke back and forth a few times.
Finally, on February 22nd, Gloria gave me a quote of $998.00 for Maui Lea @ Maui Hill resort. I rejected her offer because this price and inconvenient for me time of rental contradicts the statements made during the sales presentation and to the terms of our membership agreement. I was waiting a few more days allowing Gloria to find a place for me for the said price. On February 25th, Gloria Simpson stated that there is nothing available at this price. This is a hard fact of breaching the terms of our contract between Travel To Go and me by Travel To Go. During the presentation, I specifically asked a question to presenter by name Bob in regards to availability of rentals and choices offered.
He reassured me that there will be no problem to book what you want and when you want because Travel To Go works with thousands of time share companies that cant always have inventory on hand that normally is not offered to their owners. He also showed beautiful pictures of some infamous great condominium resorts and asked us a question would it be wonderful to spend a week in place like this for only $199/week? The Hot Weeks privilege was explained such as week of accommodations booked only 1-2 weeks in advance. Apparently it was a false statement because when I inquired about hot weeks, I was told that Travel To Go has never anything available for travel to Hawaii at this short notice. The hot week option was my main incentive to purchase this membership.in my case, Travel To Go did not have anything available for my trip even though the request for booking was done six months in advance.
On my request to refund my money made to Gloria Simpson, her suggestion was to call a distributor. Since To Go Consulting was active distributor of membership that I have purchased, I have requested to cancel my membership and refund my money. Claudia Blankenship at To Go Consulting re-addressed my request back to Travel To Go, claiming that her company has nothing to do with Travel To Go anymore. She said that they were independent distributors of Travel To Go memberships and worked for a fee. Thus, my money must be returned by Travel To Go. However, my credit card statement states that money has been drawn by To Go Consulting. On March 27, I got on a phone with three-way calling, and had a conversation with Roxanne Franklin from Travel To Go and Claudia Blankenship.
Apparently, the issue of my refund was passed back to To Go Consulting. Claudia promised to pass my request to her CEO. They tried to press on the issue that the time of refund has passed, even though upon contract terms there is no time limitation on getting the refund. The contract states that you can call within 72 hours and request the refund over the phone. After this period, you have to mail your request for refund.
My personal opinion on those two companies is that they are both part of scam scheme. Travel To Go has multiple distributors of their membership, and when you have trouble of receiving the service that was promised to you during the presentation, there is no one is responsible. Keep away from any travel companies like those two. Rely on your own travel agent, or do even better yourself making your reservations on-line.
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