Holiday Inn Club Vacations Galveston Beach Resort by IHG

The resort fee was still charged even though none of the amenities were available during renovations, and nobody told us about that beforehand. One of the two elevators was out of service for our entire week. Then there was the pushy timeshare woman. She told my wife we had an appointment set up and that our credit card would be charged if we didn’t attend. I wasn’t having that, and my son set her straight. I wouldn’t stay here again even if it were free.

The staff here has always been great, and my family had a wonderful farewell Christmas. After 25 years as owners of three properties, first with Silver Leaf and now Holiday Inn Club Vacations, though, we’re relieved this Christmas marks the end of our ownership. The Regular Units we had for Thanksgiving were much better than the three Presidentials and one Standard Unit we upgraded to using extra points. The upkeep is a big part of the problem: a soap dispenser hanging off the wall, a broken hot tub, missing dishes, and dishwashers that look ancient. We pay astronomical Maintenance Fees, which go up every year, but Maintenance clearly isn’t getting the attention we’re paying for. On top of that, even after 25 years, we still pay reservation and incidental fees while ownership benefits keep shrinking. Timeshare ownership isn’t inherently a scam, but there’s plenty of misinformation and one fee after another. If you’re thinking of buying, think thrice.

Sheila at check-in was fabulous, and the rest of the staff were just as friendly and helpful. We had a quiet stay, but there wasn’t much that felt special. The room was a bit worn and smelled odd, though it had a balcony facing the water, full kitchen, separate living and sleeping areas, washer and dryer, plus a bathroom with a separate shower and garden tub. The location is handy for the water, but town, restaurants, shops and sightseeing are a distance away. The pool was nice, although smaller than the photos suggested, with tables and seating. The hot tub was packed even on a Monday in October. There’s also a game room with books, board games and DVDs, two charcoal grills outside, a basketball court and a few other outdoor spaces. There’s only one small elevator per building, so it can mean a wait at busy times. We usually took the stairs. There are a few covered parking spots.

The location was good during our three-day stay, but the room needed maintenance. The heater was noisy around the clock, and it got quite annoying. We reported it to the front desk, but the woman there, whose name I don’t know, was white, wore glasses, looked older, and was very rude. She hardly seemed to care. We’re Holiday Inn resort owners and pay maintenance fees every year, so this kind of service is truly disappointing. Staff should get comprehensive customer service training. I’m going to escalate this to corporate. The way we were treated was outrageous.