No Hacienda Lifestyle for me!!! - Unimpressed in shropshire. Date of travel: Mar 2010
Myself and my partner have only just come back from the Hacienda Lifestyle. We booked through Club La Costa (first mistake) we were meant to be VIP and expected pure luxury. We were not VIP and didn't get luxury, infact we got wild goose chases whilst trying to upgrade and rude staff!! We were meant to have a crown suite villa but got a room at the tropical resort, it is basically butlins in hot weather. We got given the grand tour of 'what could be' but straight away delcined. We couldn't have been ushered out quick enough. We decided if they didn't want the extra money it was there loss. I highly recommend the Horse riding, ponies are reliable, people are lovely and sights are amazing. Food was ok, I managed to get a bug. Just a warning if you're not VIP expect to fend for yourself!!

It was worth the buy - Jack Sparrow. Date of travel: Nov 2009
Hacienda Lifestyle - Yes, I would agree that the sales people can be conniving. Although they are, I still decided to go with the VIP package... The trick of the Game is to be ahead. Keep in mind, especially in a poor country, sales people shouldn't be trusted. If it's not in the contract then it's not valid... With this in mind, I managed to get the package for $1,100 USD cheaper than the sticker price, plus 5 extra weeks and immediately moved to a better Suite. They asked for half the price to be payed up front or over the course of 3 months... then the rest would be financed for 5 years with 0% interest ($33 a month). Over all, this resort was a great experience, I think most people's fuss, here, is the sales deceit. I booked this trip via CheapCarribean.com which was on sale for $50/person/day; with the VIP package I managed to get it at $48. Can't beat that. This included all of the VIP access and Top-Shelf Drinks (You could definitely taste the difference in the drinks). I would recommend the diving, I had a blast... and no, I am not an employee.

Hacienda Lifestyle: Must experience to truly know what it's like - Lizzy Vargas. Date of travel: Jul 2009
I went to the Hacienda Lifestyle last summer with family. We were in 3 villas and had a group of 22 people. We didnt know what to expect and when we got there we were amazed. Amazing people, refrigerators stocked every morning (if you ran out they would bring you more). We became members the first night there & got gold bracelets. Entrance to V.I.P world and the V.I.P beach. I am actually going now in August and I'm super excited. A couple bugs here and there but what resort doesnt have them. The bar: drinks there you couldn't even imagine. Try the B-52 its something we discovered over there. Cant wait!

Hacienda Lifestyle - The most amazing holiday I've ever, ever been on. - Becca. Date of travel: Jun 2009
Hacienda Lifestyle - this seriously was the ultimate place to be!! The place, the people and just everything was amazing :) definitely go here again!!

Hacienda Lifestyle... ONE BIG FRAUD!!! - Mr. & Mrs. Rizzo. Date of travel: Apr 2009
Hacienda Lifestyle - My husband and I traveled there for a quiet alone-time tropical vacation.....omg!!!! Do not go there. Upon arriving, the poverty outside this particular resort was heart wrenching. I wanted to give everyone all the money I had. OK, then we get to our room, not so nice but liveable, and we attempted to make dinner reservations. Every night we couldn't get one. So we were forced to eat at the buffet. We were disappointed but just dealt cause we were happy to be alone. You could only get reservations if you were VIP. We ventured off around the facility and staff were telling us we weren't allowed in certain places (all which were much nicer than where we were allowed) beach areas, bars, etc. because we weren't VIP. Then they said we will be contacted on how to become VIP. Next day we met up with someone and they explained the whole time-share thing, showed us all the good villas and rooms. We said we liked it and would consider but we would like to make a call to have our relative check into it for she is in travel biz. We walked away and I just happened to look over the deck and saw both the sales beasts standing under us listening in on our conversation. Against my better judgement, my hubby decided to buy in for he had just survived a critical 2 week hospital stay and was feeling happy to be alive. I did not like the whole deal and wanted to get out of it after an ice tray fell out of the villa refrigerator and broke my toe and I had had enough of the nasty people there, and that's when all the undermining began. Jackie Bramhill, who was in charge of sales, apologised and said for us to give it a chance, please stay in villa, sent us a chef to cook etc. She said you can cancel at any time, I will lower your fees 200.00 when you come on vacation... We appreciated her attempts to make us happy but declined at the end. Handing her a letter of cancellation, we asked for a letter of acknowledgement. She replied we didn't need one as our paperwork would be discarded....bull donkey!!!! We got back home and found we couldn't cancel. Be wary of what you sign; it's another country, they will hook you in and I would seriously hate to see it happen to fellow Americans. They are getting rich on the American tourists, they are not sincere, they are lying, deceiving, cunning... Now I know why they tell you this offer is only good for that day - they do not want you to research them as more than half the people on this page were victims rather than happy customers, and the ones that were happy are probably employees of the company trying to make up for its bad ratings.

Do not stay at Hacienda Lifestyle holidays Domincan Republic - Trista Blanchard. Date of travel: Mar 2009
On March 23th 2009 while on vacation in the Dominican Republic at the Hacienda Lifestyles Holidays resort (as a rental guest of a member, we paid the member for the week’s stay) we attended a sales presentation for membership in the vacation club of the resort. After much alcohol (they kept the glasses full of alcohol and served champagne at several tour stops) and high pressure sales, we signed a contract and two credit cards through Bank of America were charged with high amounts. We immediately the next morning expressed regret, but again experienced high pressure sales. Immediately upon our return home I contacted our assigned customer service representative, Vance Paul, via email and requested a full cancellation. He attempted to give us alternative financing options, but we declined fully and requested a full refund and cancellation, confirmed with email. I also contacted Bank of America on this day and spoke with Reggie in billing disputes who stated I should send immediately a certified letter via postal mail requesting a refund, which I did. I then exchanged several emails with a Mr Rountos, who again tried to offer us financing options, but I have always responded with a firm request for cancellation email today from Mr Rountos completely denying our request to cancellation any portion of this membership and its fees. There is not any reference to cancellation terms in the contract I have requested contact information beyond Mr Rountos and have not been able to receive anyone additional to contact. The resort was crowded and dirty, not worth the cost. DO NOT STAY HERE.

Awful in every way - Trista Blanchard. Date of travel: Mar 2009
The Hacienda Lifestyle resort is a nightmare, bugs everywhere, my five year old looked like a war victim after the first day. Food was awful, beaches and pools overcrowded with no place to sit. Room dirty and maids awful. Expect to get hounded, and I mean followed around constantly by the sales staff trying to get you to buy into this dump. There were unhappy members everywhere. My kids, 5 and 7, went to the kids club one morning and cried to not go back. The kids were unsupervised and out of control.

Bozos!! - Steve. Date of travel: Nov 2008
Not stayed there myself (usually stay at Sun Village) but know a lot of the agents who also hassle you at Villas Jazmin in Costambar which they now appear to have taken over. I have also met a lot of people who feel they have been taken advantage of. People who go on these jaunts, get drunk and then sign up have to be bozos! Time share cons go on all over the world and while there are some good ones out there the industry has a tarnished reputation for sharp practice. So never, ever sign up on the spot. Enjoy the holiday, go home and come back and sign before having anything to drink and after reading all the small print. Remember nothing ever gets refunded in this industry. There is nothing wrong with the Lifestyle Cofresi resort itself but expect to pay up for it and don't expect refunds....

An amazing trip! - Dawn. Date of travel: Apr 2008
We loved this resort! We were actually staying next door and happened upon this one. The service and amenities were much better than where we had been staying, so we hopped over to Lifestyle. We were offered a package to purchase. We don't drink. If you're discussing money and business and decide to drink, that's a scary combination you can blame yourself for. We never felt pressured. They simply presented an option. This is an amazing place and we plan on returning again. Next time we'll try out the various excursions they offer since we didn't get to them last time. The food is terrific, the entertainment is spectacular, the view, the climate, the service and the friendly staff all combine to make it a dream vacation.

Best Trip We Ever Had - D. Bou. Date of travel: Feb 2008
We went to the Hacienda Lifestyle the first time and did experience the hard sale. Yes they bring you all the frosty drinks you want. But you can say No, that is your choice. Many people do not buy. We did buy and loved our trip. We went back a year later with 12 people total. They all agreed that it was the trip of a life time. We had a villa, private pool, maid she , cleaned our 5600 sq. ft villa, coffee was ready every morning, breakfast served on linen at the pool side, our private pool, a pool boy cleaned it every day. An air conditioned van picked us all up at request (we decided to be lazy) and transported us less then a half mile to the beautiful beach with roman style beds covered in fresh linens every day. The multi bars and hot tubs are less then 20 feet away, and service all day. I can't say enough good stuff about this resort. Yes we were VIP. It's the only way to go. Tell it only to your best friends, is the motto. If you are VIP you have access to the heliport, limos, golf carts, all day transportation throughout the resort. Parties and Bars, 7 restaurants, buffet all day, massages, gym, swim up bar. GREAT TIME!

I loved the Hacienda Lifestyle - Sue Sanders. Date of travel: Nov 2007
We went to the Hacienda Lifestyle in November 2007 and found it to be an incredibly fun experience. We thoroughly enjoyed the service and activities and food. My sister and brother-in-law were offered the sales pitch but were able to turn it down. No super high-power pitch. I'm looking forward to going back sometime.

Do not stay here - Jessica Laslett. Date of travel: Oct 2007
My boyfriend and I recently stayed at the Hacienda Lifestyle Resort on Cofresi Beach in the Dominican Republic. During our stay we were offered the opportunity to become VIP members by bulk buying weeks to use at a number of their resorts worldwide. We were wary of the heavy sales pitch but as the area of the resort that we were staying in as non VIP members was so appallingly run down we were probably more curious about the possibility of an upgrade to a decent room with better food and facilities than we might have been otherwise. We were brought endless alcoholic drinks while they were doing their sales pitch and the rep kept assuring us that if we signed up and then changed our minds we would be able to take advantage of a 14 day cooling off period with our credit card company to cancel the package. We eventually buckled and paid £1600.00 as a deposit for a 25 week package, at the time we were both simply relieved to have found a solution to getting out of the awful hotel we had been put in and were hopeful that the VIP experience might salvage the remains of our holiday. Sadly, VIP World itself was an absolute disappointment, to the point where we checked out and flew home three days early. As soon as we got home we called our credit card company to cancel the payment, they told us that the payment had been taken and there was nothing we could do other than contact the resort. None of the correspondence we have received from the resort have acknowledged the fact that they are promising a cooling off period that does not exist, they have made countless references to our contract being signed in the presence of a ‘Verification Officer’ who would have explained to us that we could not cancel the contract, which is completely untrue. The only assistance they’ve offered us is the opportunity to re-sell the package through their Resale Program. Throughout the duration of our stay we were constantly accosted by sales reps trying to flog these packages to us and every day there were more unsuspecting holiday makers being pushed to buy these packages with lies about cooling off periods and the option to cancel. Having investigated this matter further I am finding countless people out there who have also become victims of this scam, some having paid far more than we did. If you have had a similar experience please contact me as I am not inclined to let them get away with this but having already recieved a threatening email from the resort manager I suspect a lot of people decide to back off rather than fight them.

Wow! - Madeleine Gildea. Date of travel: Aug 2007
Ok so we went on August 23rd 2007, we are now looking into buying a timeshare at one of the villas there! We had the VIP package but stayed in the tropical hotel, you do kinda need the VIP braclets - it helps a lot, the beach has these massive four-poster bed/hammock things which give a view over the sea and the beach where you can see the rainforest and brightly painted fishing boats. The swimming area has an amazing firework show and party every week. I don't think I've ever been anywhere so posh it was unbelievable! Also the hotel has trips to many local attractions including Ocean World where you can swim with dolphins, etc. The food was always excellent and everyone was pleasant. This is a hotel that really must be tried!

Lifestyle Hacienda NIGHTMARE - Julie. Date of travel: Jun 2007
My husband and I also experienced the high pressure sales & offered unlimited alcoholic beverages during our sales presentation. We were reassured no less than 6 times that we could cancel our membership for up to 1 full year after we purchased it with a full refund. We were NEVER notified by a "verification officer" that we could not cancel. Yet we are now being told that we cannot cancel & were told that by our "verification officer" when we signed. Please contact me if you were scammed by this company too. melander@cox.net