Don’t Go There!

Dear Sirs

I have an additional location for your book “Don’t go there”, travel website and radio program. I would like to offer my experience with El Cid Vacation Club in Mexico. El Cid is a Mexican resort company that seems to specialize in preying on suspecting and unsuspecting tourists and travelers in Mexico. My wife and I were on a trip to Cozumel. Upon entering the lobby of the Cozumel airport we were immediately engaged by what we thought were island recreation planners. It turned out they were shills for El Cid Vacation Club. With a high degree of skepticism we visited El Cid Vacation Club. After touring their facility which looked impressive and listening to their impressive options negating all our objections we bought a vacation package with them and left with a positive feeling.

That feeling only lasted until we actually tried to use our vacation package. I came to find out that almost all the claims they made by the sales people were either misleading or totally false. I have tried to work with them to correct the issue but, it has been a stone wall of no response or I am mistaken and it is only me how has had a problem. Their so called “help desk” and website only seem capable of asking for more money. After trying to work though the multiple layers within El Cid to no avail I contacted the Mexican organization PROFECO. PROFECO’s mission is to try and help travelers like myself who have been scammed by companies such as the El Cid chain. PROFECO has scheduled two hearings with El Cid, where El Cid has not even bothered to appear? Why would a reputable company no show two hearings? They are clearly stalling and now state they want to resolve the issue through PROFECO?

Unfortunately, it seems the Mexican government has little power in dealing with disreputable companies like El Cid Resorts. Additionally, they hide behind a foreign corporate curtain but, bill you from a US company? This neat trick is a way to shield the company from customers like myself who are trying to be heard. In further researching my problem I have now come to find many American travelers with the exact same story regarding El Cid Resorts. I thought I was an educated traveler who has traveled around the world for years. The old adage “buy beware and if it sounds to good to be true” is especially true in dealing with foreign companies such as this who know exactly how to hide behind layers of obstacles. I have had to work and ferret just to find people to try address my issues with. No one will tell you who they work for or give you additional information regarding the management chain?

In a recent conversation with the Manager of Customer Service, who’s contact information I received from another scammed client, insists their claims are true even when 1 El Cid employee and 2 reciprocating company employees told me that is not the way it works?

Please help me in exposing how El Cid and companies like them lures travelers to their dubious hotel chain and vacation club. I will be more than willing to give you details of my specific case and point you to other complainants. There are hundreds of thousands of American’s traveling to Mexico each year. I truly feel that you would be doing your viewers a service by warning them of the practices of the El Cid Resort chain and possibly others. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely

Bill Maxwell

Submit a place not to visit