Club Astoria

[BeerhandBop]

i don't understand.

am confused. too many mixed messages abound!

[beckham07]

ok mybad i totally misread this quote from you -" I'm sorry. you speak as if your family belongs to an elite class. when in truth time share companies go after the MIDDLE CLASS."

i wasnt aware that you were insulting me, i wasnt aware that you were trying to tell me that im a feeling elitist. wow! me? feeling elitist? huh?! then why the hell do i abhor starbucks and everything it represents? darn! i would rather die than be seen in starbucks, feeling elitist , huh?! jeez i dont even hang out at bars at night, and i am so proud of my hand me down celfone even if im surrounded by iphoners.....feeling mayaman no? ako pa na mas gusto magjeep kesa magdala ng car kahit pa sa valle verde ang punta ko!

is it wrong to prioritize security, comfort and convenience when i book my hotel? fyi, im a girl adn i am entitled to these things, call me maarte that's fine but do you know in egypt if you are booked in a bad hotel you can expect someone to barge in at your door and steal your stuff?? ok lang kung nanakawan ka e, malas namen mga babae kse need namen maayos ang hotel para sa safety namen.

i have a passion for travelling, it is my main goal in life, it is my high, it is my dream, my achievement.

I am not rich, not as rich as an elite, but I am not poor. Therefore I have extra money to spare for travelling. That's to answer your continous query regarding my financial status. I am also feeling some bitterness from you, dear Beerhandbop. Since you are obviously not fond of travelling, then you should not even be affected by the astoria "scam". I guess timesharing is a new concept here in the philippines. This has been around for ages, it's like getting an insurance. You pay for it, even if you know you won't be needing it NOW, but you know someday you will avail for it, and you will ENJOY the benefits that you've agreed upon sa contract. And not everybody in the Philippines believe in insurance. That's because we Filipinos have this "bahala na" attitude, where we think we can handle things when they come. So I understand the hesitation of most Filipinos in the timeshare concept, because we are always thinking we can use that money somewhere else, and we can get a better deal by finding a better promo once we decide to travel. But unless we are decided, we won't be planning for it financially. Di ba? So the "scam" is not really a scam. It's the fear of the unknown. If you are really into travelling, I will repeatedly say that timeshare is a good deal to help you prepare for it financially. Otherwise, go camping.

[MakaveliLives]

We just attended a free buffet ng canyon woods naman..same style..free accommodations din to bali or bangkok..masarap ang food..pero alam ko din na merong sales pitch and I was prepared to say no sa simula pa lang..weird thing is they never made a pitch..pinapanood lang kami ng 10-15 min video about canyon woods tapos binigay na yung GC..maybe because student yung nilagay ko na totoo naman kase mag c culinary school ako at RN yung gf ko..tinanong sha kung saan work sabi nya wala pa..so siguro hindi na sila nag aksaya panahon samin..hehe..

Concern lang namin eh yung 5k na security deposit..kung madali ba makuha uli yun..

[missywitchy]

I attended this so called "scam". Well what can I say, the food was good, the guy who made the sales pitch to us was hilariously entertaining, and even though he was kinda pushy at times, he was courteous even though hindi kami bumili sa kanya ng time shares. The GC they gave me is usable, meaning pwede mo sya talagang gamitin, kasi option mo is local, asia and international.

My friend, said she was tempted, kasi worth it yung babayaran mo sa time share if you make a conscious effort to use it on a regular basis. Unfortunately wala kami parehong pera....lol.

Anybody here who could attest na madali lang ma refund yung security deposit?

[se7endust]

I think the whole package will really save you money...I have to agree because I bought one. And this is because my gf and I love to travel...I think this promotion or timeshare package is not ideal for those who don't want to spend a big amount of money now for their vacation in the future. kanya kanyang trip lang yan eh... ang nakakatawa sa mga post dito eh, ang daming reklamo sa sales pitch, kesyo scam daw or something like that, but if you'd really take a good read, sa simula free buffet lang talaga ang habol.

ang tao nga naman basta libre.

[BeerhandBop]

"I think the whole package will really save you money...I have to agree because I bought one. And this is because my gf and I love to travel...I think this promotion or timeshare package is not ideal for those who don't want to spend a big amount of money now for their vacation in the future. kanya kanyang trip lang yan eh... ang nakakatawa sa mga post dito eh, ang daming reklamo sa sales pitch, kesyo scam daw or something like that, but if you'd really take a good read, sa simula free buffet lang talaga ang hab"


how can you be sure that it is cheaper? did you compute how much it would cost you over a longer period of time?

keep in mind that you are making monthly payments over something you're not even sure you'd be using that often.

[iamanne]

Tingin ko talagang mag-aaway-away kayo dito.

Based on my "free lunch" experience with Astoria, okay naman. I went with my mom. I thought the food was so-so, my mom liked it so much. We were forced to listen to a sales agent, who, by the way, was hilarious. Even from the start we knew we were not going to buy anything. We just went for the free lunch and the GC.

From what I understood, as explained by the agent, it's money-saving if you have lots of money to spare. Honest naman yung agent from the start that the package is not for everybody. If you're a frequent traveler and hotel accommodation is your top priority, then, yes, makakatipid ka. Remember, I said frequent traveler. Kung katulad ka lang namin na minsan lang lumayas tapos sobrang strict budget pa, then luging-lugi ka.

Yes, they have this strategy na kunwari promo lang for the day or yung manager lang pwede magsabi ng price. Lam na namin yan. Di naman kami pinanganak kahapon. Pero ganun sila magbenta eh. It works naman for the others at sabi nya, sabi lang ha, tumaas sale nila. So that's nice. Pero kung convinced ka naman na ayaw mo, wala silang magagawa.

Bottom line: If you don't want it, just say no. Natatawa kami ng mom ko kasi alam naman namin yun eh. Hinihintay lang namin na ibigay nya yung GC. Sabagay, they fed us buffet kaya quits lang na makinig kami sa kanya.

I just hope when I claim my free hotel accommodation there'll be no problem. I'm assuming meron, lahat ng bagay na libre may setback eh. Pero sana makayanan namin.

So wag na kayo mag-away dito. Eh kung yung iba okay sa kanila eh at yung iba ayaw. Wag na nating ipagpilitan na naloko lang sila kung feel naman nila nakatipid sila. Trip-trip lang.

[iamanne]

Anybody here who could attest na madali lang ma refund yung security deposit?

This is also what I want to know.

Saka san yung hotel nila sa Thailand? May GC doesn't say which city eh.

[anne_42884]

If you are familiar with Family First and AOWA Appliances, then stay away from Club Astoria.

They'll text you saying that you won or you're invited for a free lunch or dinner. They will also mention that there's no strings attached and no money involved. (How'd they get your contact number? By signing a raffle coupon from trade shows or buying an item from PC Express which is affiliated with Astoria.) They will also give you a "free gift certificate" to a destination of your choice.

After your lunch or dinner they will do sales talk about Astoria-RCI timesharing membership. It will take you about 45 minutes to 3-4 hours. Paiikutin ka nila.

Pagnasign mo na contract tapos mag-avail ka ng services nila, masisiraan ka ng ulo sa sborang bad service. Their "free gift certificate" has hidden charges as well. Even their coupons don't have DTI permit and the contracts are not notarized. Don't be fooled and don't be afraid of the contracts. Take action!

If you are already a victim of this scam, don't hesitate to post here and ask for help. My friend got scammed by this and sabi nga niya lipad ang pera niya but we are trying to help him get back his hard earned money. Their manager is former actor Arnold Gamboa.

Other Sources:
http://www.sulit.com.ph/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16561
http://www.tipidpc.com/viewtopic.php?tid=145090
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ion_Luzon.html
...and more (Google it)

"6. Timeshare Promotions - It might offer fantasy and fun, but if a vacation deal sounds good to be true, it probably is. In the Florida timeshare scam, vacation certificates for holidays in Florida are the "prize" given out in contests or promotions. But what is supposed to be a free trip can end up costing thousands of dollars - in U.S. funds. To top it off, the offer is conditional on you attending a timeshare sales presentation. The bottom line? When planning a holiday, steer clear of deals that imply you've won a prize. If you have to pay for it, you haven't won. Also, avoid pressure to buy right now. Legitimate deals don't evaporate overnight."

From: Timeshare Condominiums for the Beginner (highly recommended read)
http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=...result#PPP1,M1

***I suggest you apply directly to RCI if you really need/want timesharing.

hi...i am a new memeber of this site..i was very shoked to know about the scammers and last night we became one of their victims.. someone called to my friend, and my friend brought me along with to that free buffet in silang cavite..they entertained us very well..and we paid them through our credit card..and when i saw your add this afternoon..i was alarmed and now..i really wish and i wanna ask you..what do i have to do..to get my money back..please help me..please.

[kroephek]

well well...eto ako nagulantang sa mga nabasa ko..just this March nung nasa Boracay kami ng Bf ko sumeone invited us bout Club Astoria sabi na me free buffet...so why not, LIBRE nga naman..eto nmn kami pumunta nga nung time na ng buffet..den nung nandun na kami me kumausap sa amin na yun nga after dinner meron konting presentation...susme ano bang alam ko sa mga yun wala pa akong nararanasang ganung presentation sa buhay ko lalo nat d nmn ako nakatira ng pilipinas..so eto nmn kami after namin kumain niyaya kami sa loob ng medyo maayus na hallway ng isang hotel i think Gold Crowne ata yun..dun pinaupo kami sa chair na may maliit na table then ayun kinausap na kami ng isang babae na napakagaling ng sales talk talagang lahat lahat pinakita sa amin..so after ng presentation nya...b4 that ang sabi nya pa na sana di kami humindi dahil ilang beses na syang nag xplain nang napakahaba at sa bandang huli e NO lang daw ang sagot..we'll as ive said wala akong kaalam alam ..so nung matapos na syang mag salita sabi nya ang manager na daw mag sasabi ng price..ok yun nga at namangha ako..sabi ko sa isip ko WOW ang mahal..now sabi nila d nmn lahat babayadan..me % lang ang downpayment ok.....40k ang down payment na kailangan bayaran..susmeo nabigla ako..den sabi ko di ko kaya yang bayaran..cant afford ako nyan..den ask nung babae as i remember ang ask nya sa akin..kung di ko ba daw kayang bayadan as in 40k or magkano kaya ko..ako namang si walang alam sinabi ko kaya ko lang 20k..den kinausap nya ulit manager nya..den umoo nmn agad ang manager..den un ang ibinayad ko pa nga nun e EURO kasi wala akong cash na pesos nun..talagang first time namin sa Boracay..ang BF ko sabi wow GRABE NMN KAMAHAL NG KINAIN NATIN SA BUFFET NA YUN 20K..sa totoo lang nag short budget ko nun dahil sa pag bayad ko sa kanila..na para dapat sa anak ko yung pera na un...is there any way na mabawi pa namin yung pera namin? kung meron mang me alam pls reply po sana **...

[eguy]

My wife and I were able to attend the free dinner and presentation of
Astoria and I must say that I in my mind I dont have any doubt that Astoria is indeed a scam. Nasayang yung time namin sa kakapangulit nila kahit na sabihin pang libre yung dinner, still the time that was consumed sayang talaga, napagod lang kami at nagutom. Totoo din yung sabi ng iba dito na kunyari sasabihin nung sales rep dun na tutulangan ka nila para makahingi ka ng discount tapos wag lang daw sasabihin sa manager, kalokohan lang yon. So to all to those na pwedeng maging biktima, BEWARE!

By the way, Beckham07 is obviously from Astoria and I'm sure di nya aaminin yon on the same manner na di rin aaminin ng Astoria na scam sila.

[MakaveliLives]

well well...eto ako nagulantang sa mga nabasa ko..just this March nung nasa Boracay kami ng Bf ko sumeone invited us bout Club Astoria sabi na me free buffet...so why not, LIBRE nga naman..eto nmn kami pumunta nga nung time na ng buffet..den nung nandun na kami me kumausap sa amin na yun nga after dinner meron konting presentation...susme ano bang alam ko sa mga yun wala pa akong nararanasang ganung presentation sa buhay ko lalo nat d nmn ako nakatira ng pilipinas..so eto nmn kami after namin kumain niyaya kami sa loob ng medyo maayus na hallway ng isang hotel i think Gold Crowne ata yun..dun pinaupo kami sa chair na may maliit na table then ayun kinausap na kami ng isang babae na napakagaling ng sales talk talagang lahat lahat pinakita sa amin..so after ng presentation nya...b4 that ang sabi nya pa na sana di kami humindi dahil ilang beses na syang nag xplain nang napakahaba at sa bandang huli e NO lang daw ang sagot..we'll as ive said wala akong kaalam alam ..so nung matapos na syang mag salita sabi nya ang manager na daw mag sasabi ng price..ok yun nga at namangha ako..sabi ko sa isip ko WOW ang mahal..now sabi nila d nmn lahat babayadan..me % lang ang downpayment ok.....40k ang down payment na kailangan bayaran..susmeo nabigla ako..den sabi ko di ko kaya yang bayaran..cant afford ako nyan..den ask nung babae as i remember ang ask nya sa akin..kung di ko ba daw kayang bayadan as in 40k or magkano kaya ko..ako namang si walang alam sinabi ko kaya ko lang 20k..den kinausap nya ulit manager nya..den umoo nmn agad ang manager..den un ang ibinayad ko pa nga nun e EURO kasi wala akong cash na pesos nun..talagang first time namin sa Boracay..ang BF ko sabi wow GRABE NMN KAMAHAL NG KINAIN NATIN SA BUFFET NA YUN 20K..sa totoo lang nag short budget ko nun dahil sa pag bayad ko sa kanila..na para dapat sa anak ko yung pera na un...is there any way na mabawi pa namin yung pera namin? kung meron mang me alam pls reply po sana **...

Sorry pero sa tingin ko wala..ibinayad mo sa kanila yun eh..I'm sure meron ka pa pinirmahan na contract..that's a 20K teacher teaching you when to say NO..

Unless you call them to cancel agad and it's within the cancellation period..mas ok kung card ginamit mo sana

[jelai03]

also am a victim last june 13, 2009.
we made a down payment of 6,800.00 (half of 13,600) charged to my hubby's credit card. but that night we realized and decided to have it cancelled. written on the terms on conditions, if cancelled within 15 days there's a cancellation fee of 10k and if cancelled after 15 days, all payments are forfeited. does that mean that mean that if we cancelled our membership within 15days do we still have to pay 3,200? and if cancelled after 15 days. do we still have to pay 10k? has anyone cancelled their membership? hope somebody could help. thanks.

[p@cmani@c]

ok mybad i totally misread this quote from you -" I'm sorry. you speak as if your family belongs to an elite class. when in truth time share companies go after the MIDDLE CLASS."

i wasnt aware that you were insulting me, i wasnt aware that you were trying to tell me that im a feeling elitist. wow! me? feeling elitist? huh?! then why the hell do i abhor starbucks and everything it represents? darn! i would rather die than be seen in starbucks, feeling elitist , huh?! jeez i dont even hang out at bars at night, and i am so proud of my hand me down celfone even if im surrounded by iphoners.....feeling mayaman no? ako pa na mas gusto magjeep kesa magdala ng car kahit pa sa valle verde ang punta ko!

is it wrong to prioritize security, comfort and convenience when i book my hotel? fyi, im a girl adn i am entitled to these things, call me maarte that's fine but do you know in egypt if you are booked in a bad hotel you can expect someone to barge in at your door and steal your stuff?? ok lang kung nanakawan ka e, malas namen mga babae kse need namen maayos ang hotel para sa safety namen.

i have a passion for travelling, it is my main goal in life, it is my high, it is my dream, my achievement.

I am not rich, not as rich as an elite, but I am not poor. Therefore I have extra money to spare for travelling. That's to answer your continous query regarding my financial status. I am also feeling some bitterness from you, dear Beerhandbop. Since you are obviously not fond of travelling, then you should not even be affected by the astoria "scam". I guess timesharing is a new concept here in the philippines. This has been around for ages, it's like getting an insurance. You pay for it, even if you know you won't be needing it NOW, but you know someday you will avail for it, and you will ENJOY the benefits that you've agreed upon sa contract. And not everybody in the Philippines believe in insurance. That's because we Filipinos have this "bahala na" attitude, where we think we can handle things when they come. So I understand the hesitation of most Filipinos in the timeshare concept, because we are always thinking we can use that money somewhere else, and we can get a better deal by finding a better promo once we decide to travel. But unless we are decided, we won't be planning for it financially. Di ba? So the "scam" is not really a scam. It's the fear of the unknown. If you are really into travelling, I will repeatedly say that timeshare is a good deal to help you prepare for it financially. Otherwise, go camping.

I DISAGREE.

maybe if you want to travel in style and rub elbows with the rich the famous and the social climbers.

i have been traveling a lot and i am more than happy to stay at hostels, pension houses and cheap hotels.

selling timeshare may not be a scam per se but the way with which it is being done makes it a scam on a different level.

it's not only that people should learn to say NO. it is that the sales people are trained not to take NO for an answer. kulang na lang ipamukha sayo na kumain ka ng libre at may gc ka pa tapos hindi ka kukuha.

this kind of selling may be effective to some. but it is pathetic. and actually worse than a scam.

[itt]

share ko na din nanalo daw kami sa raffle na finill outan namin sa duty free hehe 3d 2 n sa boracay free dinner din sa makati active group tower. no strings attached din daw at para sure wag magdala ng cc at cash hehe pero umuulan eh so... hehe.

[oahu]

I DISAGREE.

maybe if you want to travel in style and rub elbows with the rich the famous and the social climbers.

i have been traveling a lot and i am more than happy to stay at hostels, pension houses and cheap hotels.

selling timeshare may not be a scam per se but the way with which it is being done makes it a scam on a different level.

it's not only that people should learn to say NO. it is that the sales people are trained not to take NO for an answer. kulang na lang ipamukha sayo na kumain ka ng libre at may gc ka pa tapos hindi ka kukuha.

this kind of selling may be effective to some. but it is pathetic. and actually worse than a scam.

Well I disagree naman dito. So what if a person can afford? karapat dapat na ba syang tawaging Social Climber?

It depends on the capability of the person to spend. Kung kaya naman ng tao? why call him names. Hindi ka naman sinabihang Pataygutom at jologs kasi sa hostel ka lang nag stay para sabhang Social Climber naman ang mga can afford.

So what if you are staying in cheap hotels? and the other guy is staying in a luxurious hotels?? Ika nga kanya kanyang trip. If you don't like what you are hearing. Ok na yung mag disagree but not call names.

I travel a lot. I go to the states every other year. I've been to lots of places, here in pinas, US and Asia (Europe is this year's target). If I am with my friends who are from call center, we stay @ hotels like the one in KL where we spent P600 a night per person. And If I am with my parents, we stay in a 5 star accommodation like Bellagio. Ika nga kanya kanya trip. There's no need for calling names (galit ba tayo kasi they can afford and you can't?)

Regarding Time Share, true. There are cons and pros. Depende on the social status. If you are a frequent traveller and READ: would most likely to stay in a luxurious accommodation.

E.g. Presidente ka ng kumpanya and you have to travel most of the time kasi you have to manage your companies worldwide, mag stay ka ba sa hostel??? of course, time share is for you.

Another E.g. Middle class ka and your daughter/son lives in New york, can afford ka naman to visit your family every now and then. Then time share is for you.

Pero if you can work your way with your travel. E.g. You are on a strict budget and staying in a cheap accoms is ok with you kasi most of the time pasyal ka ng pasyal, then Time share is not the best for you. 'nuff said. No calling names. Ganun lang.

[got_hid]

hmm.. parang gusto ko ng free dinner ah! hahaha

[eTan]

Is it true that it's a lot easier to get a VISA if you have a timeshare membership? I'm considering to invest only for this purpose. Please help.

[eTan]

Since I heard that it's generally cheaper, has anyone considered selling a week or two to earn? Better question, has anyone tried to make money out of it?

[eTan]

BTW, the company is RCI member if it helps.