Fancy free lobster dinners? ….  or maybe massages?  See Free Gifts

Following on from our article Cheap Inclusive Holidays we had intended to interview the management and staff at the Sandos Playacar Resort hoping this would give us an insight into the holiday market from the other side of the fence.

We are often quick to complain when things aren’t up to our expectations but at the same time we look for rock bottom prices.  Just how hard is it for hoteliers to meet our expectations in the current economic climate?

Well, like most best laid plans we had a change of heart.  One of the subjects on everyone’s lips here at Sandos Playacar resort, and indeed on the net, is the Sandos timeshare club.  It seems to have gathered quite a bit of bad press so we thought we would investigate.

Sandos Timeshare Scam?

Is it or isn’t it?

So you’ve heard people talking about ‘the Sandos Timeshare Scam’ or read about it on Trip Advisor – perhaps now is the time to set the record straight.

• Yes it’s true they did have a few teething problems with response to phone calls for bookings etc. but it was early days at that time and as far as I can judge the Sandos management team are very quick to respond to potential problems or complaints.
• Yes, we were pounced on as soon as we walked through the door after a long trip and I sincerely hope this is something they will put a stop to when they realise it is one of the things that makes people talk about ‘timeshare scams’.
• Is it scam?  No I don’t think so.  Timeshare works for many people and if the people you buy from are reputable, I see no reason to call it a scam.  Yes of course they want you to buy and will do their best to get you to buy it on the day, any salesman of any product will so why should that surprise you. I have no reason to suppose that any of what I heard from Sandos timeshare staff was anything other than the truth.
• Do they keep you hours wasting your precious holiday time?  No absolutely not unless you are stupid enough to be frightened of saying no.  If the product is not for you then say so.  Don’t be afraid of saying you don’t really want to discuss it further.   Of course, do them the courtesy of listening to what they have to offer but if you feign interest you don’t really have then it’s bound to take longer.
• Why do they want your credit card?  Well this should come as no surprise.  They hope you will fall in love with what they are offering and buy into it.   To do that, you need your card.  It NEVER leaves your person – they simply ask you to flash the logo so they know you have a card on you.
• Do they pressure you?  No – again absolutely not.  Yes of course if you say you can’t afford it they will find a way to show you how, if you say it’s too expensive they will show why it isn’t and so on, but at the end of the day, if it’s not for you they will thank you for your time, give you your free gifts and allow you to leave with a smile.

Here’s what happened when I decided to investigate Sandos Timeshare.

Sandos Timeshare & Free Gifts

We were first approached by Patty when we booked in.  I was so annoyed when she wrote out a slip ‘in case we changed our minds’ that I tore it straight up and put it in the bin.  Later we had cause to talk to Erik in the middle lobby who had a much more ‘low-key’ approach.

Erik is a genuinely helpful person.  Yes it’s true that part of his job is to enrol people for the presentation but he never pretended otherwise and never pressured us other than to say ‘come see me if you decide to do it and I’ll sort you out some free massages or free lobster dinners’.

Until I decided to write this article, I had no intention of going.  Over the week Eric took my shoes to the cobbler when I broke my heel, found my bag when I lost it and a number of other small services.

Now the more cynical amongst you will be wondering about his motives and once more I’ll say we would be naive if we thought he wasn’t there to get us to ‘take the tour’ but NEVER was there any pressure or even talk about it.  Just a couple of times he mentioned ‘if you ever want to do it, come to me’.

So week 2 of our holiday I decided to go see what Sandos Timeshare was all about.  Here’s how it went:

8.15am Met by the hostess, filled out some basic info. and briefly showed my ID and credit card.  I was not asked for any financial information or about anything I would consider remotely personal.

8.30 Introduced to Anan, my sexy Italian guide for the tour.  We had a relaxed breakfast and chatted about something and nothing but naturally including my holiday habits.

9am Tour round the resort and beach plus the superb one and 2 bedroom apartments overlooking one of the best beaches I have ever seen.  If I were to buy into anything then this would be the place for me.  I love this Mexican resort and will definitely be coming back to Sandos although not through timeshare.

9.45am Sat in the bar with a drink to talk about costs and other info.  I was pleasantly surprised that everything was open and above board, no hidden agenda, no heavy sales push and no animosity when I said it wasn’t for me.

Sandos Timeshare

So why wasn’t it for me?  Well I travel several times a year, mainly last minute with some incredible deals and airline discounts.  It didn’t make economic sense for me.  Ok so you’re all probably wondering what happens next?

10am Anan brought in his manager who checked over what we’d discussed.  She agreed that it didn’t suit my holiday lifestyle and very graciously thanked me for my time and organised our lobsters dinners.

Total time 1hr 45minutes including breakfast

Our conclusion on Sandos Timeshare?

Go get your free massages or lobster dinners.  Go with an open mind and no worries about being pressured.  If it’s not for you then you won’t get hassled.  If you decide you like it, and trust me once you see those rooms with that ocean view you may well change your mind, then just make sure you cover all the bases before you sign on the dotted line.

Last minute holiday checklist

For many people, their preferred method of booking a holiday, whether abroad or in Britain, is to wait until the summer and then book a last minute holiday, either online or through a travel agent. This has several benefits, which allows you to benefit from last minute discounts, but on the other hand, the available choice is often limited, so you may have to settle for a different destination.

No more last-minute holiday bargains, say Thomas Cook

However holiday-makers should not look out for last-minute bargains this summer, Thomas Cook warned in April.  Do we believe the hype?  Of course not!  Despite the warning, the number of unsold holidays for the group has for the summer is 19% lower than this time last year.

Comment from a reputable travel agent: “There is no such thing as a “good cheap late minute holiday deal nowadays.  There is less availability as the big 4 tour operators are now just 2 and they have cut back by over 40% on flight seats and hotels. Last minute holiday deals are a thing of the past.  For ‘last minute deals’ read ‘what no-one else wants’.”

Book late holidays to find bargain deals on last minute holiday offers. Book a late holiday online from leading tour operators. Cheap holidays, late booking holidays, bargain last minute deals, cheap package holidays. Book your holiday last minute with us. Search and Book online from our massive list of Last Minute package holiday deals which we offer throughout the different resorts.

Last Minute holiday checklist

• Book travel insurance
• European Health Insurance Cards if travelling in the EU
• Cancel milkman and newspapers
• Check all windows and doors are locked
• Lock up expensive garden furniture.
• Check car insurance
• Contact your bank and credit card provider
• Do you need vaccinations?
• Check travel documents
• Money
• Book airport parking in advance
• Check with your airline for baggage allowance
• Contact your mobile operator
• Don’t forget the travel plug adapter
• Make sure pets are cared for

If you would like to find last minute hotels in Rome at a discounted price, close to the Vatican City and the Tevere River, or maybe close enough to walk along the Tiber or visit the exquisite historical Castel Sant’ Angelo, then this is the site to your last minute deal to Rome.  Also on your holiday hit list should be Saint Peter’s Basilica, Piazza Navona and Piazza del Popolo.  Enjoys your last minute holiday to Rome with a great deal from Rates-to-Go.

Spanish hotels to cash in on Siestas by the hour

The siesta is making a comeback, recycled for the modern world as “Iberian yoga”. Far from the afternoon snooze that consumes valuable working time, Spain’s siesta is being re-branded as essential for spiritual wellbeing and a balanced life.

Long hailed as the country’s greatest contribution to civilisation, the siesta – “Spain’s secret weapon”, according to this weekend’s ABC newspaper – is being re-launched in Seville.

Hoteliers in the southern hotspot are trying to lure visitors back from the beach by offering rooms between 3pm and 7pm at 30 per cent of the normal rate, to slumber through the hottest hours. The idea is that you emerge refreshed to enjoy the late afternoon, sunset and after dark, which Spaniards savour as the best time of the day.

As part of the campaign, which has adopted the slogan: “After eating I sleep”, you can even book your afternoon snooze from the very restaurant where you enjoy your leisurely, wine-soaked lunch. That way you don’t hit the road in an alcoholic haze – a disproportionate number of Spanish motoring accidents take place after lunch – or stumble back to the office half asleep.

“Every decent lunch deserves a period of repose or rest afterwards. and every day in this hot season needs a period of refreshment for the mind,” Manuel Otero, president of the Association of Sevillian Hoteliers, said.

Many visitors wilt in high summer because they don’t pace themselves. “Midday in the summer in any Spanish city breaks the will of the most determined and stubborn person,” he added. Spanish summers are becoming increasingly ferocious, imposing an afternoon pause on those both at work and play. Hoteliers say their campaign, organised jointly with the city’s restaurants, represents a flexible solution to a slack season.

The initiative has been greeted with scepticism by the region’s Hostelry Union because it implies extra work for its members. “It could be a way of dignifying the old custom of hiring hotels by the hour,” a spokesman said.

Experts believe the optimal siesta is around 20 minutes long. Shorter and you don’t disconnect sufficiently, longer and you emerge groggy and bad-tempered. Even companies recognise their workforce performs better after the break. Many, including nationwide courier service MRW, have set aside soothing siesta zones with reclining chairs for their employees to snatch 40 winks.

The siesta, enjoyed by generations of Spaniards, has been described as ‘Spain’s secret weapon’ Spain tried to abolish the siesta in the 1980s before joining the EU, and two years ago in response to a globalised economy. Employers now prefer to rehabilitate the ancient custom, once denigrated as Mediterranean sloth, as “Iberian yoga” – a term originally coined by the Nobel Prize-winning writer Camilo Jose Cela – and make it part of modern life, as essential as the creche, the gym and company-funded language classes.

The best siesta is recognised to be “in pyjamas” and with a companion, but that remains for most a weekend luxury.