Owner of the resort: Ken Molinaro. Government of Mexico I ask for your help with this Issue.
This letter outlines the presentation that was delivered to us by Grant Marsella and Charlie(Charlene) Kurtz at Playa Del Sol.
The presentation started with Charlie greeting us and taking us to the restaurant in the Playa Del Sol Costa Sur hotel. She asked many questions about our jobs, family, types of holidays we liked to take and how frequent we take them. This was our first holiday in Mexico away from the cold winter in Saskatchewan, Canada. We thought we had found a little peace of paradise in this warm sunny climate beside the ocean. After we completed our breakfast we went to leave and meet Grant and she asked us to leave the tip for the waiter. A strange request considering we were their guest.
We met Grant Marsella and he asked if Charlie could sit in on the presentation because he was training her. We agreed to having her present. The presentation carried on for over 4 hours. We sat out on a deck outside of an office area. At no time were we ever left alone to discuss any matters privately.
The purpose of the presentation was for us to buy a fractional ownership of Playa Del Sol. We had never heard of fractional ownerships. Grant explained how they worked and the benefits to buying one. These benefits included; investment with a 7%-12% annual increase , a deeded property that could be willed to our children, tax benefits (deductions for airfare because we would need to come to check our property) board members looking after our investment and input on our part as to what resorts we would like to see hotel built in other resort areas (eg. Cancun, Hawaii). One example of a board decision was the elimination of maintenance fees because they were making so much money they didn’t need to charge them anymore to the owners. By buying this unit in Puerto Vallarta we had access to the other resorts that Playa Del Sol owned in Los Cabos, Nuevo Vallarta and soon to open Cancun (08/09), Costa Rica (09/10), Puerto Penasco and Hawaii. To quote off of a sheet used during the presentation “If you own one you own them all.” We would also be able to rent our unit if we did not use it. Then we would also receive 25 Grand weeks in the deal that we could rent out. Grant showed us on the scratch paper how the Grand weeks could be rented and pay for the unit we bought over 8 years. He told us that this would be an investment that makes us money. We were continually referred to as owners.
Then we started signing papers. First credit card receipts. Once those were approved the celebrating started. A bottle of champagne was served to us. Then a few more papers were presented. We were signing so many papers it was confusing and overwhelming. Then we went into the office and signed and initialed more papers. There were presented to us at warp speed! Before going into the office Grant told us not to say anything about the rental of the unit because they get cranky when they hear about this. Then we went back out to the deck and Marsella made a cell phone call and connected me with an agent for Regal Rental. They were very familiar with what we wanted and obliging to have us sign up with them. They told us we could rent the unit for $2500.00 whereas Grant told us about $800.00 to $900.00. They said yes this is why they like to do business with Grant because he doesn’t set the bar too high and it is easy to surpass it and keep their customers happy. We were given the promised “Rythms of the Night” tour and $100.00 cash.
We were invited back the next day for brunch again and to bring any guests we wanted to bring and spend the day at the hotel. I said we might bring my brother and sister in law but I did not want them to pitch to them unless they wanted it. He agreed. We had breakfast together and before we knew it the “pitch” was on! (We were once again greeted as owners of the hotel) They did agree to listen to it with no gifts but they did not buy anything and we made our way down to the beach and spent a relaxing afternoon. At brunch Grant said to Charlie should we tell her the secret now? Charlie looked puzzled but went along with him. “Well”,he said ,”Charlie’s husband (Ivan Kurtz) was one of the owners of Playa del Sol Group”. Charlie appeared to be caught off guard but she went along with Grant.
We left feeling a little unsettled but we were not sure if it were excitement because we had made a very exciting decision or was it suspicion because it just seemed too good to be true!
Well they say, if it is too good to be true them it probably isn’t true. That is exactly what happened to us. We were contacted by Regal Rental shortly after arriving home and they signed us up as clients. Then we sent the full payment shortly after to the Playa Del Sol Group. The reason we did this was because the interest rate that we had to sign up for with the group was way too high and at home we could get a lower interest rate. Also the US exchange rate was very close to par and we wanted to make the purchase at this low rate. It took a couple of months but finally we received a certificate in the mail that stated that we had paid our membership in full. Membership! We were looking for a deed not a membership. I thought that this came with our purchase and that the deed would follow. No, it never did!
Then, we decided to use our unit. Grant had told us that it would be no problem to use our unit at Christmas. This was important to us because I am a teacher and this is the only time we could travel in the winter. He said we could call 3-4 months before December and we should have no problem booking. Once again Charlie looked bewildered but went along with him. So I called in May 2008 just to be on the safe side. That is when we realized that we were not going to be able to use our “fractional ownership” The agent we spoke to us informed us that they did not have fractional ownerships just club memberships. We also would not be able to get anything in Dec. We would need to book one year in advance! Call a year ahead on the day that we want to come. Call at 8:00 in the morning when their office opens and there is a slight chance they we may get a booking if we were lucky enough to be one of the first few through. This was not looking too good! Then I asked if there was anything that I could book next year from the day that I was calling, which was May (not exactly high season for tourists). No there was nothing available. Now I knew that we had been scammed!
We proceeded into this purchase in good faith and took their advise on how to make best use of the unit that we purchased and all along we were being deceived and lied to. Our disappointment was overwhelming. Our dream had been shattered and we felt very embarrassed that we had been scammed and they had our full payment. I contacted Grant by phone and asked for help and he wanted to know when we wanted to come to PV and he would help us to get a booking. I didn’t want a booking….I wanted my money back. He cut me off stating that he had a presentation to do. I then emailed him and told him that I was filing a complaint with Profeco. He never returned my email.
This loss has put a huge financial stress on our lives. It put even a greater stress on our emotions. My husband for 27 years and I have been separated now for 6 months. I was always blamed for this financial loss. We are both receiving professional counseling. I am seeing a psychologist and Brian is under the care of a psychiatrist. Letters confirming this care that we are receiving will follow once we receive them from our professionals.
There is no doubt that we were in a very vulnerable state. Our 17 year old nephew had been murdered (Aug 2006) and our families were going through very long and delayed trials. My brother had died the summer(08) prior. We were in need of a relaxing holiday. We had shared our losses with Grant and he expressed his sympathies and then he turned around and stole our money. We felt very violated. Our pain was his gain!
We ask for your help with this issue. Search for Playa del Sol PV Ken Molinaro at google for more info about him and his company.
www.playadelsol.tk www.kenmolinaro.tk www.playadelsolpv.tk
