Fair Play (The Grand Vacation Club (GVC))

Member Name: SunAndSea

Product:	The Grand Vacation Club (GVC)
Date:	06/05/04 (1664 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It was cheap, We got to see the Costa Del Sol, The resort was nice

Disadvantages: We had to arrange flights, Had to attend presentation, Room was too small

In fairness to GVC I enjoyed myself on their FREE holiday.
My family had to go to Lancaster to recieve it. The presentation was 3hrs long but being only 15 at the time it was something I left my parents to. They tried every tip in the book. They compared the price of package tour operated holidays to their points system and showed off their luxury resorts, which tempted me, my brother and my mum but not my dad. He saw through the fancy descriptions and the fact he would have to pay £12,000 on joining put him off.

It probably would work out cheaper we agreed but their technique of comparing themselves to travel agents prices did not work on us as we had always gone abroad with Direct Holidays and were happy with their cheap and acceptable holidays.

They let us just claim the free holiday and gave us a brouchure about where we could go. The brouchure was beautifully designed and offered Teneriefe or Lanzarote, France, Carribean, Portugal or the Costa Del sol. Having to put the 5 destinations in order of pref. We sent off the form with times of the year we could go and was sent back a few months later, 2 or 3 options. We really wanted to go to the Costa so chose that and it was high season which suited me.

When we got there it was the hottest week of the year (2003) back in the UK and it was hotter in the Costa. We arrived at the appartment it was basic with little floor room and only one bedroom. Me and my brother had to sleep on a sofa bed in the living space. The kitchen was dark and was actually in the living space. The appartment had all the mod-cons like a television and air-conditioning. In fact air-conditioning was great. The tv also had bbc 1, bbc 2 and channel 4. We even had our local news for northwest tonight. They equipped us with a stereo which was also nice. It was far more British than other Spanish accomodation I have been to as it was ran by English holiday makers. Appart from the size it was nice and clean.

T
he resort- Los Amigos Beach Club, was big but unfriendly. The entertainment was British and this disappointed me as I wanted pure Spanish entertainment.
During the week my parents had to go to a 90 minute presentation again where they would try and sell the scheme again. I wasn't present (I was sunbathing) but heard that they were less pushy and more tactical. After 2 and half hours they returned, a day wasted and we had not signed anything. We enjoyed the rest of our holiday and as far has holidays go it was good. We got to see Granada and most of the Costa and enjoyed the culture, which is what all great holidays are about.

Summary: