Thanks for all the replies.
Now I'm back on a proper computer this is the hotel we're going to be staying at...
Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Malta Golden Sands (Mellieha) - UPDATED 2016 Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor
Quite a few reviews mentioning the deal we're going on with no real issues although nice to speak to someone who's actually been to one and how they played it. They've given us a 'free' 1 day excursion of the island as well as part of the deal although I've got the feeling they may take us to the other side of the island to view some villas rather than touristy things! I'll probably give this a miss and just hire a car and do my own exploring!
I'm of course expecting a hard sell although if they start being aggressive I may need some crowd funding to get me released from a Maltese jail data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7.
I honestly don't think I could afford a villa even if I wanted to but don't have any intention of buying one anyway!!
I will gladly give up half a day of my holiday to sit and listen to some sales pitches as worst case I'll still have 6 full days to enjoy the rest of my holiday.
I'd almost approach it as entertainment.
Sounds like you've done your homework, I'd find out exactly what I'm contracted to do and piss off at the earliest opportunity.
Perhaps you could have some fun with it, fake a nasty contagious bug and take some play slime with you to sneeze in to your hand. Or just become the most annoying character you can conceive, really work on it, keep interrupting with inane questions. Or you could plan your diet carefully for a week in advance to ensure you brew yourself the most offence farts ready to unleash. Just burst in to uncontrollable tears right in the middle. You get the drift...
take some earphones to listen to music data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Years ago, on a very wet day in Majorca with 3 kids, we were approached by a salesman offering free food and drinks for us all if we attended a presentation. We were bored stupid so said ok, purely to see how they behaved. It was an entertaining few hours during which the kids were well looked after, we ate and drank, and the salesmen became more and more frustrated that we would not give in and sign, even though I made it quite clear that I could easily afford to just to annoy them further. I suppose I was cruel really, but although I'm not a salesman I have been very well trained in controlling such situations and simply gave them some of their own treatment.
Wouldn't bother again though. Life is too short.
It is a war of attrition. I wonder if it is pure frustration or a tactic to almost guilt you in to singing, a bit of both I suspect. It is like when you go to a market in Turkey or north Africa and they bring out the tea, as if you now owe them a sale. You can't let it get to you else you'll end up wondering how you ended up with a 16ft rug you had no intention of buying.
If they get me singing, they'll throw me out data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Hi,
Have you been on the holiday yet? Don't want to type an essay if you've already been.
I'm a TS owner (Marriott) and have actually been to the golden sands resort so can give some advice. Been on quite a few of the sales pitches so know some key phrases/subjects that'll get you out of the sales pitch quicker.
Just share the key phrases/subjects with us all data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 I did one of these about 13 years ago to Portugal, my lad was only 5 at the time so got him to play up a bit so we had an excuse to leave data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 it was 5 star very nice place but jesus the restaurants around it were expensive..
Not going until 25th April so not been yet. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Ok, Here goes.
Obvious point here. These type of holidays are designed to get you to a 2-3 hour presentation where they try and sell you a time share. It's a hard sell with various layers of salespeople who'll have counters to every reason not to buy that they've had raised over the years.
For the price that you've paid you HAVE to attend for the full duration otherwise they'll often charge you the rack rate for the holiday. I'd advise against any kind of overly antagonistic tactic as they can get petty and keep you there longer than necessary just to get back at you.
I'd suggest doing a bit of research before you go. There's a forum for TS owners that's very useful. (PM me if you interested) I'm not sure if it's allowed to advertise another forum here (bit of a newbie here so not sure on rules).
They are much more likely to cut you loose early if they think your well clued up and they can't dazzle you with a seemingly great deal.
Basic gist is
1. Timeshares can be bought and sold personally. It's tricky but can be done and often massively cheaper than direct from the TS developer. (Sometimes they are given away free! Yes there's a catch! See point 2.)
2. Once you buy a TS you generally have to pay an annual maintenance fee. You can't opt out. The TS operating company will go after people that don't pay just like any other debtor.
3. A TS forces you to go on holiday or rent your unit out. Unless you want to go to the same place repeatedly it means having to swap through an exchange company. That takes a lot of organising and planning. The biggest complaint with TS is that you put your 5star 2 bed apartment in peak season and all you can find is crappy studios in winter. . . Happens a lot because people don't plan. It's a law of averages. Someone has to be getting the nice Apartments .(I.e. Me) .its the people that understand the system and plan in advance.
3. People that can't pay the "mortgage" or the annual fee due to their financial circumstances or continually end up trading into rubbish apartments tend to be desperate to get rid of their TS. Hence they sell it cheap (or give it away).
So. Key subjects to use.
1. You know that you can pick up 2nd hand TS cheap.
2. I do not like having to pay the annual maintenance fee every year. I don't normally spend that much on a holiday every year.
3. Malta's nice but I won't come back every year. I don't want the hassle of using the exchange process each time.
4. There are other TS systems that have better/more resorts. (E.g I'm already a Marriott owner, if I was going to buy another's TS it would make sense to buy another Marriott unit. Pretty much guaranteed to get me out the door of a non Marriott pitch with whatever incentive they've offered)
My advice is to say you did a bit of research after you paid for the hoiliday and found out that a good friend has a TS and clued you up on how it works. They've invited you with them on their next holiday and if you like the Golden sands (it is nice!) and their TS that you'll think about investing in the same chain as them so you can go on holidays together.
Azure can't compete with the larger chains for choice (Marriott, diamond, Sheraton) so saying your "friend" has a TS with them will make it hard to pitch you on quality or choice of destinations for exchange.
I'll post some stuff on the actual resort and Malta in another post.
P.S just bought a sammy 55ks7000 with the full Costco refund (4.5 years into a 5year warranty on a broken 51" plasma) that I got. Thanks for all the advice that I've picked up lurking in this forum!