ComplaintsforBluewater Resort

• Initial Complaint

  05/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have been attempting to cancel our contract and recently communicated with *************************** about our desire to do so. Despite answering his questions and him presenting our case to the council member meeting, our request for cancellation was denied. Our primary complaint is that we have been unable to utilize the timeshare. Every time we attempted to make a reservation, we were informed that bookings must be made at least one year in advance if we wanted the desired week. To date, we have only used the timeshare once, aside from an initial stay at Bluewater as part of a bonus week for purchasing. During our sole usage, we did not receive the accommodations promised. We were assured we would stay in a building overlooking the sound, but instead, we were placed in a building away from the sound with a view of the pool and parking lot. Financially, maintaining this timeshare has been a significant burden. We are paying the monthly mortgage and annual maintenance fees, yet all our vacations have been out-of-pocket expenses elsewhere due to the inability to use our timeshare week. Salesperson ******************* convinced us to purchase by emphasizing the romantic tie to ************** and Hilton Head's popularity as a golf destination. He assured us that purchasing would be a wise investment and that Spinnaker would handle relinquishing our Vistana Resorts property for a more practical vacation option. Our meeting with **** lasted several hours, during which he promised us bonus weeks and rental opportunities if we could not use the property ourselves. He assured us of his assistance in renting, especially during high-demand seasons. However, none of these promises have been fulfilled.

  Business response

  06/11/2024

  BBB #********

  SR587633

  Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your concerns. We understand your frustrations and want to address them as efficiently as possible. In response to your claims regarding your inability to obtain reservations, we determined that over the last 3 purchases and as longstanding owners with Spinnaker Resorts since 2015, you are familiar with our reservation system. Since 2020, our records indicate that your weeks have been deposited with a third-party exchange company, over which we have limited control. While rental is an option, we have not received any requests or attempts from you to utilize this service.
  Regarding your desire for a release from your obligations, we empathize with your situation. However, due to your current loan status, we regret to inform you that we are unable to facilitate a resolution at this time. We recommend that you reach out to our loan department to explore what options may be available to you, they may be reached at ************.

  Regards,

  Corporate Customer Relations
  

  Customer response

  06/18/2024

  We respectfully request that the BBB reconsider and reopen our complaint, as we believe there are significant misunderstandings and unresolved issues that require further attention. Spinnaker Resorts asserts that we are familiar with their reservation system due to our longstanding ownership since 2015. However, familiarity with the system does not mitigate the fact that it has been exceedingly difficult to secure reservations during desired times. The requirement to book at least one year in advance has effectively rendered our timeshare unusable, a point we have repeatedly stressed. We have ended up depositing our points with a third party exchange company since there was no availability with Spinnaker Resorts. 

   Another of our main concerns is the financial burden of maintaining this timeshare without any corresponding benefit. Since our purchase on March 29, 2015, we have only managed to use the Bluewater property on two occasions: December 26, 2015 - January 1, 2016, and July 23, 2017 - July 29, 2017. Beyond these instances, we have had to bank our weeks with ********************** and even resorted to staying at a different, unrelated resort in *********** through ********************** when no availability was offered by Bluewater. This emphasizes the impracticality and limited utility of our timeshare, contradicting the assurances provided at the time of the sale.

  Salesperson ******************* emphasized various benefits, including bonus weeks, rental opportunities, and assistance in renting the property, none of which have materialized. Spinnaker's claim that we have not attempted to utilize rental services is misleading; the reality is we were misled about the ease and feasibility of these options. The continued misrepresentation from Spinnaker through their salesperson was to enter into a different agreement to change ownership from Bluewater to Waterside to enable ******************* to more readily assist us. 

  Despite these challenges, we have continued our payments in good faith, expecting fair treatment and resolution from Spinnaker Resorts. The lack of concern and support from Spinnaker is disheartening, especially considering the significant financial and emotional toll this situation has imposed on us. We are paying for a service that we cannot effectively use, and this is neither fair nor just.

  We urge the BBB to reopen our complaint and help facilitate a resolution that acknowledges the difficulties we have faced and offers a reasonable path forward. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Subject: Cancellation of Timeshare Agreement – Urgent Matter To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to express my utmost dissatisfaction with the entire experience I have had with Bluewater by Spinnaker and its associated companies. After attending a Timeshare preview presentation for Bluewater by Spinnaker, my spouse and I entered into an agreement for a bi-annual week. The decision to purchase the timeshare was influenced by high-pressure sales tactics and misleading information provided during the presentation. During our initial interaction, we were rushed through the contract and disclosures, leaving us with insufficient time to fully comprehend the terms and conditions of the agreement. We were told that by entering into an annual contract, we would secure a second week and gain additional benefits. Trusting this information, we modified our agreement to an annual week, hoping to enjoy extended vacation opportunities. However, the reality of using our timeshare turned out to be far different from what was promised. Despite our efforts, it was extremely difficult to book even a single week, let alone two weeks as initially hoped for. Frustrated with the lack of availability, we resorted to renting out our unit at a loss, further increasing our financial burden. As retirement approaches and our financial situation changes, I inquired about potential solutions such as resale, buy-back, or other options to alleviate the financial strain. To my disappointment, the options provided by Spinnaker were limited and unhelpful. The offer to pay off the timeshare in full before selling or paying a substantial fee to be released from the contract only added to our frustration. In an attempt to find a solution, we were encouraged to "trade" our timeshare for a larger unit at Waterside, another Spinnaker property, where we could supposedly sell our unit more easily. However, this process has been plagued with delays and false promises, leaving us with a larger financial burden that I am unable to afford. Furthermore, the complexity and strictness of the Interval International "Rules of Engagement" have made any attempts at trading or exploring alternative options a time-consuming and mentally exhausting endeavor. The lack of clarity and transparency in these processes only adds to the frustration and distress caused by our association with Bluewater by Spinnaker. It is important to highlight that the initial sales pitch and promises were nothing short of exaggerations, giving a false sense of control to customers while the reality is entirely different. The lack of clarity surrounding the potential impact on our heirs and the aggressive approach towards collecting outstanding dues have added to our distress. In light of the above, I request the immediate cancellation of my timeshare agreement with Bluewater by Spinnaker and return any money owed to us. I no longer wish to be associated with a company that employs high-pressure sales tactics, misrepresentation, and convoluted contractual terms. Please provide me with clear instructions on the cancellation process and confirm the cancellation in writing. Sincerely, ****** ** * ***** ** ********

  Business response

  03/21/2024

  BBB # ********
  ********
  
  We have thoroughly reviewed the Consumer’s allegations and found evidence that refutes their claims. We find the terms were fully disclosed within the contract documents and evidenced by the Consumer’s initials or signatures.
  
  While the Consumer states they were rushed and didn’t have time to review the contract, in actuality they had a 5-day right of rescission to review and consider all aspects of the contract.
  The Consumer states they were unable to secure dates. However, our records show that after their purchase, on ********** we received an online reservation request from the Consumer with three choices of dates. The first choice of dates was available and reserved for *** * *********. On ********* we received an email from Mr. ******** stating they would be unable to come on the reserved dates and requested we put it in our rental program. In response, we sent a rental contract with instructions on how to proceed. The Consumers did not return the rental contract nor did they cancel or show up for the reserved week. They do not have usage rights for **** due to the delinquency of the **** maintenance fees.
  
  Thereafter, on ********, we received an email from Mr. ******** advising that he must retire in June due to several health issues and they would not be able to continue with their financial obligations. The loan department reached out with a settlement offer but did not receive a response. The loan department continued attempts to contact the Consumer with no response. Finally, on ********* the debt was sent to a third- party collector. As of today, their loan is *** days delinquent; they must contact the collection company and settle with them before Spinnaker can proceed with a financial review.
  
  The Consumer also states that Interval International (II) is too difficult to utilize, per the application that the Consumer completed, II is an independent third-party company and Spinnaker has no control over their rules or availability.
  
  Based on the above-mentioned reasons we can find no factual or legal justification to grant you the cancellation that you have requested.  Therefore, the Customer Relations department is closing interest in the matter.
  
  Regards,
  Corporate Customer Relations
  Spinnaker Resorts

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩