Sapphire Residences

anyone been to this resort?

Jun 06, 2013

pauld482 wrote:
yes , I stayed there in the beginning of the year, it was actually down the road from the sales office. I also bought into this place , it seemed like a good investment at the time , But after reading this forum ,I think I'll withhold my second payment. Don't go to this sales pitch. Enjoy Costa Rica , the people are great and the country is beautiful .rental cars are ridiculous take the bus.
Hi, we were sucked in as well. What happened when you withheld your second payment?? We are due to make our finally payment via wire transfer. When the bank sent the wire transfer the account was flagged! I don't want to send payment, just want to cost loses and walk away.


Robyn S.
Jun 06, 2013

Yes and had a great time! Coco Sunset property was very nice, great service and nice people. When going to a timeshare or fractional ownership preview, beware of 'extra' perks/fees or someone wanting to buy one of your other 'timeshare' properties. We called Omnicorp and Executive while staying there and could not get a return phone call. We bought into the property itself, did not trade or give up an existing timeshare and could quite frankly, care less about renting out our weeks. We plan to use the property. When one buys a timeshare in Hawaii w/Marriott or the US Virgin Islands, for instance, do you think about selling your time, whether on the points system or weeks? I don't think so. So, why should Costa Rica be any different? Yes, the 'selling' your weeks for $2500 per week in CR is ridiculous and so is the idea of a rental company doing it for you. Marriott doesn't offer that. In fact, Marriott's yearly maintenance is a bit steep. We know, because we pay it. It is very hard to sell a time share once bought....period. They all have maintenance fees or whatever they want to call them. Key is to use your timeshare or fractional ownership to the fullest. Forget trading in a timeshare, it doesn't work. Forget renting out your week(s) by someone else or some company recommended by Bahia. If you don't go in with the mentality of using the time, then don't go at all. The misleading additional perks, is just that. We side-stepped all of that, bought time into a property and area we enjoyed. Can't wait to go back!


Jo J.
Jun 06, 2013

Not Cindy Kidd, in disguise. I know who she is. She sold us the timeshare my family plans to use as much as we can. We just didn't buy into the 'trading our timeshare' or some company renting out our week(s) for $2500 per week. It sounds too good to be true, right? Oh, our Marriott timeshare cost way MORE money than Costa Rica.


Jo J.
Jun 11, 2013

Hi Patrickt11 - my husband and I put a 25% deposit down on this place while visiting last week, were going to pay the rest within 2 months, and now completely regret it after reading everyone's feedback. I looked up this law because we are within the 8 days and have asked our credit card to decline the 25% payout. Thanks for your help! I hope we can get the deposit stopped before this transaction goes any further!

patrickt11 wrote:
peggyh97 wrote:
I'd like to know if your attorney is in Costa Rica & who it is. I'm in Coco now & stay at other places. I'd love to get my money back, but don't think it's possible. All timeshares are scams, so I don't see how an attorney can help. when you sign the contract you only have 3 days to get out of it. The promises by the other companies to rent out the time share are bogus too

Peggy, actually, in Mexico you have 5 business days, and in Costa Rica you have 8 business days to rescind the contract. The relevant law in CR is 7472, article 40. You must present your request in writing, and our experience at Coco is that they reluctantly do agree to the rescission. Re the rental: there are a few online places to list your rental (Redweek is one!) that are legit, but certainly you have to be wary of anyone who calls you with great offers -- as you say, those are pretty much all scams.


Jen F.
Jun 11, 2013

GET YOUR MONEY BACK SOON! These people are crooks and took us for over $15,000.00. We have been in contact with the BBB, Federal Trade Commission and the Attorney General along with our local bank and Visa. We cannot seem to get anywhere but we are still fighting. All the people at Coco Sunset (or what ever they are today) and Omni Corporation are total crooks. Do Not give them another penny. We made the mistake back in April 2012 and totally regret it 100%. We were warned about them on Redweek but trusted them way too far. If you have to walk away loosing your deposit, DO IT!


Daniel T.
Jun 12, 2013

Bahia sold us on 5 weeks/every other yr and rent out each week for $2000/wk through a company called Mercury Property. We got home to look up more info on Mercury and there was nothing (red flag). That's when we looked up more info on Bahia Turquesa and saw these postings. We mailed a certified letter to cancel our contract based off of law 7472 art. 40 and the fraud reported along with emailing and faxing the contract cancellation letter to any contact number we were given. The credit card company should hopefully be able to cancel the deposit once we fill out required paperwork, but we plan to take our loses if needed. This is crazy the people have gotten away with scams for so long. FYI- during the signing of the contract, there was no mention of a Cindy Kidd handling anything. I'm not sure if this person now goes by a different name...


Jen F.
Jun 12, 2013

Also, I hope everyone here on this site is able to recoup loses, but please know at least your posts are helping others (my husband and myself included) from not getting scammed another $20,000+ and I do hope your continued efforts to make this a lot more public is successful.


Jen F.
Jun 27, 2013

I just don't understand why anyone would want to go back there. The people were not friendly. They didn't appreciate the American dollar or tourists. The streets were filthy. The beaches are filthy. And most of all the sales people are absolute crooks. If they are legitimate why can't they return telephone calls? I have tried and begged several times for that b..ch Cindy Kidd or Randy to contact me. They are hiding because they know that they have scammed many people. We will NEVER return to that part of Costa Rica. I hope it is swallowed by an earthquake. KARMA will come back and bite them all one day.


Daniel T.

Last edited by danielt130 on Jun 27, 2013 12:12 PM

Jul 14, 2013

danielt130 wrote:
At this time we have an attorney handling our situation. I will keep Redweek up to date on our progress.

Have you made any progress as far as getting legal feedback about the Coco Sunset Vacation Club scam?


Betty L.

Last edited by bettyl150 on Jul 14, 2013 09:57 AM

Aug 01, 2013

We just recently went here as the first half of our honeymoon. (through g-pa's timeshare) We went to the sales pitch, and in our wedding bliss signed a contract for this garbage. Problem is, we were there for two weeks, so by the time we got home and realize what the heck happened, it was to late to rescind the contract. I immediately stopped credit payment, and even cancelled my card so the second payment isn't taken out. My only concern is this contract that we signed, and what it may do to us. Am I in alot of trouble, or with this amount of fraud is there little chance they come after me for the lack of payment?


Donald F.
Aug 02, 2013

I was told by our attorney that with the amount of fraud that they committed they probably would not persue any further maintnance fees or unpaid balances. Yes, you along with the rest of us were scammed by these crooks. Good idea to cancel any credit cards used with them. Good luck!


Daniel T.
Aug 02, 2013

Yes, my attorney said that we are "screwed" and to put it behind us. Coco Sunset Crooks know how to scam people. I still have the Attorney General after them. Thanks to Redweek and all the other people scammed their postings have helped.


Daniel T.
Aug 02, 2013

Screwed as in lost the money we gave, or screwed as in stuck with the messed up contract. I can't believe I got myself into this mess, but I don't want it to be any deeper than I already dug myself with this contract.


Donald F.
Aug 02, 2013

Also, what type of attorney do you have? I realize going after these punks is a losing battle, but I may need one to protect them from going after me.


Donald F.
Aug 02, 2013

Remember, Cindy Kidd just left at the end of June - now with Marriott, I believe. If you put her name in Google, you get her LinkedIn account with all of her history. I just got my response from the Illinois States Attorney. I got a post card saying they were looking into it. On the same day, I got a letter saying they couldn't get a response from Omnicorps and have closed the file. Wow!!! I couldn't get a response either. That's why I contacted them. I think I will call and at least tell them how unhappy I am. Don't run for office in Illinois, Miss Attorney General!


Jinger M.
Aug 02, 2013

Hang it up victims! We have lost our battle with them through the BBB and NC Attorney Generals office. At this time we are waiting for a call from management from CocoSuset or Bahia, whatever their name is today. They told our attorney general that we did not attempt to resolve this issue with them and we took other routes. WOW...what a lie. I could not get Cindy or Randy to return any of my calls.We have been working nonstop on this for over 5 months. This company knows how to con people including the attorney generals office. I will update if I ever receive a call from the crooks.


Daniel T.
Aug 02, 2013

Along with many others, we contacted Coco Sunset regarding our contract when they offered to waive maintenance fees unless we stayed at the property. Coco Sunset never formally responded to our request. We have never stayed at the property.

Several months ago, we received a bill for Coco Sunset maintenance fees. As they failed to respond to our request for waiver, we did not remit payment. The purchase of the Coco Sunset Timeshare never showed on our credit report and neither has our refusal to pay maintenance fees.

I recommend you cut your losses now rather than spend another penny on this endeavor, unless, of course you intend to make return visits.


Clayton A.
Aug 03, 2013

When I called in May to complain that I was supposed to have 4 weeks of rental at $2500, they of course said they had no idea what I was talking about. They also explained that no weeks would be released to RCI until I paid the maintenance fee. (I was told I never had to pay that if I rented and just used HSI) About 3 weeks later, I got an e-mail from RCI saying one week had been released. I called back to see how that happened. They told me it was a courtesy for all of the misunderstandings. Very interesting. Also, I sent a copy of all of the BBB info to the president, via Coco management e-mail (name I found here) and no one has even bothered to e-mail me saying they received it. That was over 3 weeks ago. I think I will snatch up my one week RCI and figure I got back about 1% of what we paid into my terrific 4 week plan. Why didn't I follow my rule, "If it sounds too good to be true, it is" ????? jm


Jinger M.

Last edited by jingerm on Aug 03, 2013 09:19 AM

Aug 03, 2013

I was just on site this last week and I can tell you that they have made some adjustment to their "program" but it is still the same thing, but presented slightly different. I met with a man named Jeff "the Johnson" Normington who was allegedly brought in to help with clean up on the companies they recommended to use for your timeshare purchase/rental of new property that went a.k.a. "bankrupt." I have his Costa Rica cell number if you want to see if he can help with listing out what your stuck with at Coco Sunset. They are supposed affiliated with Celebrity Cruises and a new marketing company now (again don't go with Mercury and don't pay a thing). His number is 506.85566784. BTW, Randy from Texas is still there.


Elisa T.
Aug 04, 2013

I'm trying to process all the different posts, but I'd like to ask what you all are doing about this. I just signed this contract, and am currently trying to contact them to get out of it (even though it's past the date.) I'm receiving no response, however I stopped my credit payment immediately after the down payment due to the overall sheer amount of fraud and lies coming from this place. Are you all saying that you have, as well, stopped paying and are cutting your losses? Have you heard from Coco/Bahia from a legal or credit score standpoint? Any info would be highly appreciated.


Donald F.

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