Aimfair Home Page

August 6, 2011

Wendy just returned from a vacation at Nuevo Vallarta and sent us all photos of the deconstruction of the Mayan Palace at Nuevo Vallarta and construction areas around the Grand Luxxe towers. Click on the photo to enlarge. Wendy's photos can also be seen in Photos and Videos.



So far, we do not know what will take its place, although we see that the entire building will not likely come down. Rumor is the first two floors will remain. Also, the rumor behind the deconstruction project is the Mayan Palace was in the deck view of Grand Luxxe buildings.

Wendy sent us answers to a few questions too. These can be seen on the Current News page.

We all know the changes that take place on the various properties can sometimes be extreme and follow plans that very few know anything about. It appears we are experiencing a change, the reason for which remains confidential.

Regardless, as Grand Luxxe members, we all want the most favorable views and accommodations. Certainly they are well deserved because of the investment we all have made in our weeks.

As for the Mayan Palace brand, we speculate that it is unlikely the brand will cease to exist in the short run. As of our June survey of the market for Grupo Vidanta timeshares, there are over 5,400 Mayan Palace weeks for rent or sale, of which over 4,400 are offered through 4 companies.

Third party purchases are the ways most experts in the timeshare industry believe timeshare interests should be bought. With the large number of Mayan Palace units available and the reduced space at Nuevo Vallara, there are likely many more changes on the horizon.

Thank you Wendy, and let's all stay tuned....

July 30, 2011

What would you say if we told you....

1. There are 275 Grand Luxxe Villa and Grand Luxxe units for rent or sale through more than 30 companies with listings on the Internet?
2. There are over 106 Grand Bliss units offered for rent or sale through more than 11 companies with listings on the Internet?
3. There are over 9,067 Grand Mayan and Mayan Palace units offered for rent or sale through more than 36 companies with listings on the Internet?
4. Of the 1,551 timeshare listings that BuyATimeshare.com claims were recently sold, only 10 were contracts issued by a Grupo Vidanta company and all were contracts for Mayan Palace units.

Surprised? We were when we started reviewing the preliminary results of our study of the market for resorts offered by Grupo Vidanta. We decided to initiate a continuing series of studies of the market in order to better understand which companies list rentals and sales, how much they charge for their service, how many units are available and how successful these companies are.

We will continue to expand on our survey and keep you informed. You can see what we have found so far by clicking here.

In the meantime, there are options. Be diligent and let's fully enjoy our prepaid vacations!

July 26, 2011

We have said this many times over the past 2 plus years since we started this website…change is common place on Grupo Vidanta properties. Not that the changes are bad. Rather, a developer must make many interrelated decisions over time, and it takes time to implement them. Then, while a plan starts to take shape, conditions may change, which forces change in the plan. Consequently, it is hard to predict what the layout of any new property might be at any one time, because it may change drastically.

To keep up, we asked one of our Grupo Vidanta contacts if he could answer some of our questions. We have found that members of the Grupo Vidanta management team are reluctant to commit to firm answers about the final configuration of a development project until construction is complete and plants are in. Even then, there may be changes in the use of a structure after it is complete.

Additionally, many plans are confidential. They are confidential for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to avoid providing misinformation, which could lead to expectations that in the end may not be achievable. Building expectations and not meeting them is a lose - lose proposition.

Regardless, the fact that change is ever present does not keep us from trying to stay up to learn more. In fact, one of our contacts at Nuevo Vallarta has agreed to keep us posted to the extent he can.

Some of the questions we asked include which of the Sea Garden resorts are operating; what is the state of the demolition of the Mayan Palace at Nuevo Vallarta; what is the state of the construction that is taking place at Acapulco, La Jolla de Cortes and Riviera Maya and what will be the configuration of the newest Grand Luxxe buildings. You can read his responses in Current News.

Our contact has invited us to check in every now and then for updates. Let us know if you have any questions, and we will ask them. Send us an email with Questions in the Subject Bar to [email protected].

Stay Tuned….

June 5, 2011

Rigoberto Moreno is a professional photographer who has created images used by a number of companies, including AHA Universo. We found references to his work through a blog posted by Sanjay Ganga, the V.P. of Sales and Marketing at IBSystems, the parent company of AECCafe.com and GISCafe.Com. AECCafe.com is an information portal that presents trends and concepts of architectural designs to followers of the portal. This link leads to a 1,500 room hotel concept in Beijing as an example of articles presented on the AECCafe.com portal.

Two of the articles presented through AECCafe.com featured the Grand Luxxe and the Grand Bliss resorts. We found that Rigoberto was the photographer, admired his work and asked permission to display his work on Aimfair.com. We received his permission so long as we provide the appropriate credits, which we are happy to do.

You can view Rigoberto's work through Rigoberto Moreno and Photos by Rigoberto Moreno. We are grateful for Rigoberto's contribution to Aimfair.com and hope you will enjoy his work as well.

Thank you Rigoberto...

May 28, 2011

The Argentina Ministry of Tourism announced on May 21, 2011 that Grupo Vidanta would build a Mansions of the World Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Construction is said to begin in June, 2011, and the hotel should be ready for occupancy in 2013.

We have all heard that Mansions of the World would be luxurious. The article says it will be a Six Star Hotel.

We believe it will have to be with all the construction that is taking place in Buenos Aires. A number of new hotels will be opening within the next several year.

Check out Current News for more information and links.

Should be fun to watch the progress.....you know we love construction projects!

May 26, 2011

Today marks another turn in the evolution of the Grupo Vidanta - Vida Vacation Club - Grand Luxxe organizations. Not that the evolution has been kept quiet. On the contrary, the Grupo Vidanta and its affiliated entities are making every effort to present a professional and transparent appearance.

We see that the Global Privacy Policy changed today. So what? you might ask. Well, the policy is legalese, which is important in today's world, so the company is keeping up with the times.

But more importantly, the Grand Luxxe website is spectacular! A terrific change from what we have seen in the past. You can view the new policy and access the Grand Luxxe website by clicking here.

The second item we want to bring to your attention is the new Members Getaway Weeks offer. This is a very HOT DEAL! There are two offers. Be sure to look them over. Great way to Test Drive the Grand Luxxe Villa.

In a related matter, we have upgraded our Rentals and Sales page. Although we are still making changes, you will get the idea of the direction we are taking to help members gain value from their contracts.

May 17, 2011

A reminder that con artists and scams are all around us was issued by Grupo Vidanta today. Beware! What sounds too good to be true is likely just that!

The most recent note starts with the following:

Dear Grand Luxxe Members:

Last month we wrote you to warn of members being contacted by persons fraudulently posing as agents or affiliates of Grand Luxxe. We are repeating that warning because the problem is continuing, not only for Grand Luxxe but throughout our industry.

These persons may pose as “outside agents” of Grand Luxxe, or they may claim to have been referred to you by us. They may offer “special promotions” or rental or resale services. Or they may change the payment instructions for your monthly payments or maintenance fees.

These are professional con artists who can be very convincing and can appear to be entirely legitimate. They may gain your confidence by having personal information about you or your contract. They may use a name, address or website that is very similar to the Grand Luxxe name, address or website but varies in just one digit in a P.O. Box number or bank account number, or one letter in a web address. They may even use our logos (without authorization, of course) on their written or web communications. They may assure you of the safety of your transaction by instructing that your payment be made to a “title company” or “Escrow” or other intermediary that is in fact just another name and address being used by the scammer....Click here to read the entire May 17, 2011 notice.

The reminder we received today is the 6th one we have received since June 22, 2010. Unfortunately, in times like these, such reminders are needed. Click here to read more information about Member experiences with scams.

We are an active group. Let's keep each other aware. Please do not hesitate to send us information about scams you may encounter. Send your information to [email protected].

May 9, 2011

Grupo Vidanta announced on May 6, 2011 that the firm has selected Greg Norman as the designer of its second golf course located in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.

Although the specific location of the new course was not disclosed in the release, it does say the course will be along the beaches of Bahia de Banderas and between the Sierra Madre Mountains and the bay. The course will be a Greg Norman Signature golf course.

We have been hearing for months that something great was brewing. However, there have been no concrete announcements until May 6.

Vidanta Golf will be the operator. The organization has stated in the past it wants to be the leading golf course operator in Mexico.

The company presently manages five courses, which, in addition to Nuevo Vallarta are in Acapulco, Puerto Penasco, Riviera Maya and San Jose del Cabo.

Golf is a favorite pastime for many Grand Luxxe and other Vidanta resort timeshare contract owners. With all the other rumors of plans and new places to visit, Vidanta Golf could be well on its way to becoming a golfing power house.

Click here to read the article in full. The article was published by Inside The Gate, a timeshare news and information website.

Stay Tuned....

May 3, 2011

We found this article on Marketwire today. It was released at 8 AM EDT in New York by Grupo Vidanta.

The GrandLuxxe.com site has been available for several months in Beta form. It is now officially live.

The statements in the release reiterate the importance of remaining transparent and accessible. We applaud the changes that appear to be coming and that could benefit owners of all of Grupo Vidanta's interests.

"Our goal with this social presence is to give our members as much information as possible, as quickly as possible in order to clearly communicate the resort features and benefits, including construction updates, events, dining, golf, and spa updates. Basically, we wanted to create an online resort experience that becomes a benefit to membership," said Renee Lewis, President of Lewis and Partners, the creative agency behind the redesign." Click here for the full release.

Great fun to see the changes that are taking place.

Enjoy and participate...

April 24, 2011

Recently, an Aimfair Member questioned whether this site is primarily interested in the Mayan Property at Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico or if it also is interested in other properties as well. The answer is a resounding "We are interested in all the Vida Vacation Properites....please send what ever information you may have to share and we will post it."

The changes that are taking place at the Nuevo Vallarta location are enormous. An example is the photo collection we received from Dave and Terrina. Just look at the new entrance at the property and imagine what is to come.

This photo shows a new building that is east of the golf course. It is near the new entrance that may be available by November, 2011.

Dave sent us this and other photos to keep us all up to date. If you have photos of the other properties that you would like to share, we would love to post them and discuss the changes taking place there too.

We know that Acapulco has a new Mayan Palace building that opened. However, we have not seen any photos of this new facility yet.

We would love to hear about changes taking place at Puerto Penasco. Gary III has provided us with photos of the property and city. These are just the tip of the proverbial ice berg.

Finally, Riviera Maya has been changing too. We have scenes of the new Grand Luxxe pool, Grand Luxxe buildings and Ocean Breeze Hotel. Many viewers love Riviera Maya for many reasons. The objective is to stay up to date.

Just let us know what you have and when you took your photos or made your visit. We will post your photos, videos and comments as we can.

Thank you all for your support and participation.

April 10, 2011

Aimfair.com members are very generous! They keep us all informed through photos, posts on the Forum and videos.

However, working with electronic utilities, such as websites, the Internet, email, modems, and etc. is very challenging for us simple minded folks. We have to learn to use the tools that are available to us at the time we want to use them.

The nice thing is change often times leads to improvement. Improvements lead to better layouts and efficiencies.

Yet, there are still frustrations. Although we have a fairly automated upload process, Dave tried use it twice today and was unsuccessful. Linda in Seattle experienced similar challenges during her vacation. We did too when we stayed at the Grand Luxxe in Nuevo Vallarta. In fact, we learned a secret from one of the technicians - the strongest signal in Grand Luxxe Tower I is near the elevators. Sitting at the Concierge's table is a bit public, but it worked for us.

So, where is this going?

A couple of reminders and comments:

1. Send us your photos and we can post them. Timeouts are more than frustrating because of the time wasted and to no avail.
   
   
2. Understand that we need to use YouTube to post videos. Greg sent us nine terrific videos, which we have posted. You can view them by clicking here. We get an appreciation for all that is going on at Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico through these generous contributions. But please remember, we do need to post them through YouTube to be successful at sharing with everyone.
   
   
3. We will be improving the way photos are shared. Credits will still be given to contributing members. We want to improve the process of uploading and posting so it is not nearly as frustrating.
   
   
4. So much is going on at the Vida Vacation Club properties, that it is wonderful to see everyone committed to helping everyone to stay in touch with the changes.

Also, so much is going on at Vida Vacation Club too. In fact, Mr. Daniel Chavez Moran has become more open and now has at least three vehicles through which it seems he will communicate with us all:

• www.danielchavezmoran.net/
  
  
• www.danielchavezmoran.com/
  
  
• http://danielchavezmoran.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/daniel-chavez-moran-announces-2011-vidanta-foundation-prize-deadline/

So, times are changing and we are all in this together. Although challenging, we will continue to work hard at keeping information channels open so we can all stay up to date.

Thank you all for your continued participation and support...

March 29, 2011

During the past several days, we have received word from two viewers alerting us all to the existence of a new forum called Grupo Mayan Forums sponsored by Grupo Vidanta and hosted by Rose. Mike told us that Rose monitors the TUG forum and frequently answers questions as a resort representative. Deb provided us with the forum address and suggested we all might gain from using the company forum.

We feel it is terrific to see the Grupo Vidanta organization become more interactive with viewers and members. We support the movement and feel the information will be filtered enough to be accurate. This will give comfort to everyone who wants information that is not speculative. Information found on Aimfair.com may be speculative in many ways because our members are not affiliated with Grupo Vidanta except as owners of right to use contracts.

Our objective is to enable communication. The more we learn from the source, the greater the trust we will have in the source. We all know that Grupo Vidanta is working hard to become a better communicating organization.

Thanks Mike and Deb for your contributions and information.

March 24, 2011

One of our objectives is to Connect and Exchange information and experiences with each other. That is the fun part of sharing.

Another objective is to provide alerts when they arise.

During the past several months, we have seen an increase in "Scam Chatter". One of our members sent us a notice he received from a person who was posing as an employee of Mayan Resorts. The last of this wave of alerts is an open letter from Steve Kaufer, Co-Founder and CEO of TripAdvisor, which he sent to all TripAdvisor members today. You can read their comments and others in our expanding Timesharing section under the heading of Solicitations

Timesharing is important to many of us. It is to us, for sure and this section will become the soap box where we will make comments about Possible Scams, Solicitations, Valuations, Differences between timeshares and other forms of split ownership, and Sales Tactics.

Many of you have already read about the Possible Scams that we are confronting more frequently, it seems. Now we are adding comments about the breaches of privacy and increased number solicitations that come from these breaches.

Unfortunately this activity is a fact of life as we Baby Boomers leave the work force and focus on spending time in the beautiful surroundings that we all enjoy. It does not have to be feared....because we have each other and a way to stay in close touch.

Now back to the fun stuff....thank you for the floor plan. Three bedrooms offer lots of space and appear to be outstanding!

And, thank you, Tim and Susie for the comprehensive views of the Nayar Golf course.

We all appreciate seeing what you have to share....

March 20, 2011

In Puerto Vallarta for the week? Interested in doing something unique this Friday night? You might consider attending a concert at Teatro Vallarta featuring a talented young singer called Jorge Jimenez.

Jorge will be singing a series of songs during his show called Running With a Dream. He is a former medical student who changed his mind to become a professional singer.

According to Laura Gelazunas of TV Puerto Vallarta, Jorge has spent the summer of 2010 singing in Germany, Italy, France and New York after a jump start in Puerto Vallarta in May 2010.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit for Aliso San Juan Diego and the SPCA de PV. Tickets cost from 200 to 500 pesos.

You can learn more about Aliso San Juan Diego, which is a home for the elderly by following the links listed below:

• Asilo San Juan Diego from Virtual Vallarta
  
  
• The Asilo San Juan Diego Official Website

Information about the SPCA de PV can be viewed here:

• Puerto Vallarta SPCA

Tickets can be purchased from Teatro Vallarta. The performance begins at 8 PM.
Click here to learn more about Jorge on YouTube:

• Jorge Jimenez
  
  
• Jorge Jimenez

If you would like to read more from The MEXICO Report, please click here.

March 17, 2011

St. Paddy's day has always been fun for us. When our children were young, we would put green food coloring in their milk. Four leaf clovers would appear all over the place. Everyone had to wear green. Everything we ate was green. Eggs, pancakes, water, ice cubes...you name it.

Our children? Well, they just had to endure the crazy antics their parents would conjure up each year, mostly their mother.

It was not too long before they caught on and started enjoying the whimsical fun that St. Paddy's Day brought to them each year.

Our children's parents? Well, they had more fun trying to top the previous year and watching their children grow.

Reflecting back on those days brings wonderful memories to mind. Sure, they are bygone days....only memories. But, to us those crazy, fun shenanigans are part of the interwoven fabric of who we are. And, they have helped form the people our children have become.

We see this all around us. Many of our members travel with their children and grand children, and those experiences become the future memories they all will reflect upon from time to time. Why, just three days ago, Kathy provided us with a glimpse into her interaction with her grand children through a wonderful poem she wrote and photos she shared. How much fun is that?

Although we all enjoy each day as much as we can, sometimes it takes one special day that allows us all to just blurt something that may be a teeny bit out of character.

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

March 14, 2011

Ross was inspired to look for additional information about Mecca Management Consultants and forwarded what he found onto us all. Following is what he found:


Mecca Managements Consultants website is

http://www.meccamanagementconsultants.com/

The website shows:

8990 W Dodge RD #1 Omaha, NE. 68114
Phone: (402) 882-4346 - (402) 882-4343 - Fax: (888) 475-1092

Email Address: info at meccamanagementconsultants.com

Agents: Joshua Silverman, Christine Jamieson, Edith Bates, Scott Case, and Dan Gonzales

Better Business Bureau Rating for Mecca Management Consultants:

http://www.bbb.org/nebraska/business-reviews/business-services-general/mecca-management-consultants-in-omaha-ne-300057654#govtaction

The BBB has requested basic information from this company.

The BBB has not received a response.

According to an investigation by the BBB:

The address provided by the company on their Web site is not the company's actual address, but instead a non-related bank. This bank has informed the BBB that no other entity exist within their building called Mecca Management.

Consumers' are urged to use extreme caution.

March 13, 2011

Mecca Management Consultants is in the news again. The news is news from a member who has lost $35,000. He sent us the following:


My wife and I are recent victims of these unscrupulous and fraudulent companies.

A Scott Case from Mecca Management Consultants called us and offered to sell our Grande Luxxe timeshare for $180,000 US.

We were desperate and fell for their sales pitch. They then asked for monies upfront and we fell into the trap deeper.

Unfortunately we did all that they asked and sent them monies to complete the transaction. They assured us, even in writing, that we would get all those monies back plus the proceeds of the timeshare sale.

We are ashamed and embarrassed to say we are now out $35,000.00 CDN.

We are at a total loss as to what to do. Any suggestions?


We responded and asked a few questions. The return email is as follows:


The fact is that now we can't even contact them because they did/do business via VOIP and the phone numbers we had communicated with them in the past aren't even local numbers. From what I can gather, they are in Mexico...that's where we transferred a lot of the funds we provided them.

I do not have any more cash to put out for a lawyer but if one could be found who would take the case 'pro bono', then we would be very interested, especially if it helped others in the same situation.

And YES, by all means, go ahead and post on Aimfair. We are most interested in helping others so this won't happen to them.

Thank you again.


We can all learn from our fellow member's experience. The Timeshare Industry is full of scams, which is no different from many other industries in today's economy.

Bottom line is if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!!

March 11, 2011

The Grand Luxxe amenities include rounds of golf. Grand Bliss members receive these amenities too. However, not all new Grand Luxxe and Grand Bliss owners play golf. The question becomes what to do with the extra rounds of golf.

Well, some of the owners on the Forum have come up with ways to actually give their rounds of golf to other guests who are also staying at one of the resorts at the same time. The process seems to be tested and the net results are happy travelers. Generous gestures all.

In fact the spirit of generosity can be seen in other ways too. Some are very tangible and may become surprises to the recipients.

We are speaking of the opportunity new members have to place in writing the name of a referring member as the person who should get a referral credit. This credit is the value of the maintenance fee for one of the recipient's weeks.

People who go out of their way to provide a benefit that would otherwise go unused are truly generous and thinking of others. It is nice to see this community is made up of individuals who feel this way and follow their feelings up with actions.

Congratulations to all who are givers and all who are recipients.

February 27, 2011

About five days or so ago, we announced that Members were restless. They want updates, photos and information.

Well, there were many out there who were listening. Charles provided us with photos of the properties and excursions. Bud and Lori sent in photos of their excursions to Punta Mita, San Sebastian, El Tuito and Mismaloya. Sherm, Don and MJ and Dennis provided us with construction updates for and reviews of the Grand Luxxe at Riviera Maya. Steve provided us with an update of the Bliss Resorts. Finally, tonight, Linda sent us an update from Nuevo Vallarta.

Bottom line is there is much going on at the Vida Vacation Club (Grupo Vidanta) properties.

Steve and other Bliss Members are disappointed that the Bliss Resorts will not be built in the near future. According to Linda in Seattle (in Nuevo right now), based upon the statements made in the members update, it is unlikely that the Bliss Resorts will be built any time soon because there is no demand for the product.

On the other hand, the number of Grand Luxxe members is increasing. According to information passed along to Linda, Vida Vacation Club has sold about 4,500 2 BR Grand Luxxe Villa weeks and 3,600 Grand Luxxe 2 BR units to date. This explains why reservations are difficult to get during the most popular dates.

But, from what we hear, Grand Luxxe Building Two in Riviera Maya may open in late 2011 and two more Grand Luxxe buildings in Nuevo Vallart could open in 2012.

All of this is going on during a very difficult economic period throughout the world and during a period when there is so much uncertainty in Mexico.

We are looking ahead to many years of enjoyable use of the Vidanta properties as they expand on current properties and expand into new areas. The key from our point of view is to keep information flowing, so we can all vicariously participate in the trips each of us share with each other.

February 22, 2011

In keeping with our banner, we are a place where Grand Luxxe and other Grupo Vidanta Timeshare Owners connect and exchange.

The issue that arose this morning is the future of the Bliss Resort.

Steve is a Bliss owner, who contacted us over a year ago. In his email, he expressed concern about the sales presentation his family and he attended, information provided then and "promises" made.

We suggested that he address his concerns with Customer Service and told him we thought he would be treated fairly, especially in the difficult economic times that were in place then (2009). Later, he sent us an update and said he was unable to reach agreement to resolve the issues.

Fast forward to this morning....we received an offer from Steve. He is now at Nuevo Vallarta and has asked us to post his comments.

Since his comments are short, we are posting them here and in Current News. Please consider:


Understand that Steve's comments are his own and should not be construed as statements from management or anyone else.

We know the Bliss has become a resort without definition. This may be the case because Vida Vacation Club can sell the Grand Luxxe and Grand Bliss resorts at higher prices, which makes them more profitable than the lower priced Bliss units. Result is the Bliss members paid for upgrades that will not be built.

Regardless, we also know that Vida is trying to provide meaningful alternatives to Bliss owners. So, we do not think all is lost. Just more conversations with Customer Service to get the issues ironed out to everyone's satisfaction.

Thank you Steve.