Action 9: Woman disappointed after joining vacation club

None — A Monroe woman joined a Fort Mill vacation club but said she couldn't get trips at the price she was promised.

Sandy Rhyner said she and her family love vacationing in Florida.

"It's our favorite place to go," Rhyner said.

Last May, she and her husband thought they'd gotten a deal -- a week's vacation at any resort in Florida for only $575. That's what she said they were promised by a salesman for Grand Discovery, a Fort Mill vacation wholesaler.

"He quoted us a figure of $575 a week that we could stay at any resort," Rhyner said.

But after paying a $2,000 membership fee to join Grand Resort Travel, Rhyner called to book two upscale Florida resorts. She found prices starting around $3,000, not $575.

That's when she called to cancel and get her money back, but said she got nowhere talking to a company representative.

"She told me that it was just tough, that we should have read it," Rhyner said.

Rhyner admitted they didn't read the contract. If they had, they would have seen nothing in writing about what she said the salesman promised.

"We took it in good faith (that) they were telling us the truth," Rhyner said.

Action 9 got in touch with Grand Discovery, which said it provided the service exactly as it was described. A spokesman said the Rhyners signed a document at the time of sale saying they were made no verbal promises.

Action 9 checked with Better Business Bureau President Tom Bartholomy, who said the company has a C- rating and 30 complaints, many of which are similar to the one from the Rhyners.

"To not get what you were expecting, let alone what you believe you were promised, gets people upset," Bartholomy said.

The BBB says do your research before joining any travel club.

Rhyner, who won't be getting her $2,000 back, has a stronger warning.

"Don't waste your time," she said. "Don't waste your money."

WSOC