A couple lands in the hospital after booking an engagement trip to Maui through a questionable travel agency

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, May 3, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Joseph Adams, a California-based pediatrician was having dinner with his girlfriend one evening last fall when he found himself telling her a story about an amazing kayaking trip to Hawaii he'd taken a few years earlier. "Can you believe I’ve never been there?" she replied. Adams says, "Instantly, I knew two things for certain: One, I was going to book a surprise trip to Maui when we got home that night, Two, I was going to propose on the beach at sunset on this trip."

That night as his girlfriend slept, Adams opened his laptop. Within a few clicks he landed on the website www.StarwoodHotelsHawaii.com. Being familiar with the island of Maui and a fan of the popular Starwood Hotels chain, Adams booked what he thought would be a romantic vacation package for two in the idyllic resort town of Kaanapali. What Adams didn't realize was, although the website he used was designed to look like the Starwood brand's site and contained their logo, the site actually belonged to Pleasant Holidays, a travel agency in Westlake Village, California. Adams says, "It was the old 'bait and switch' scam everything thinks they're too smart to fall for." Although the pair arrived to the airport hours early, they were bumped from their flight due to what the airline cited as "overbooking." The couple took a later flight, but lost a full day of their vacation. Upon arrival in Maui, the couple discovered their accommodations were not in a luxury resort as advertised. Facilities were ill-maintained. The jacuzzi was closed for repairs. Extra perks and benefits promised never materialized.

An advertised "Welcome Package" turned out to be a sales pitch designed to sell time shares at a nearby property. Their old, worn room was invaded by an army of ants and roaches on a daily basis. The room's ceiling leaked when it rained, which was nearly every day of the couple's trip. The smell of mildew was overpowering, the lack of cleanliness of the room and property were shocking. Days after their departure, Adams received hundreds of dollars in charges on his credit card from the hotel’s restaurant and pool bar, which he and his girlfriend never visited. Adams claims after a heated discussion, a hotel staff member candidly explained Pleasant Holidays books blocks of rooms at a volume discount, which they re-sell as part of travel packages. Therefore, their customers generally get the older and less desirable rooms. After two nights in the room Adams’ girlfriend became very sick. "Worse than the filthy room, the disrepair of the hotel and the blatantly false advertising by the travel agency, my girlfriend woke up in the middle of the night, having trouble breathing and feeling dizzy." He explained, "We never expected to end up in the emergency room for respiratory issues relating to black mold exposure on a romantic Hawaiian getaway."

Adams says he and his girlfriend made dozens of calls to Pleasant Holidays customer service hotline during the trip, but were unable to get the help they needed. They say the phone lines would ring busy for hours on end, or would ring with no answer. Or, someone would answer, they'd be transferred to another department and then the line would eventually disconnect. When Adams returned to the mainland, he again complained to the company's customer service department. "I left a dozen voicemails and sent at least as many emails to no avail," Adams said. Finally, the company responded via email and sent Adams a series of what he alleges were "heavily retouched" photos Pleasant Holidays claims were of the room Adams and his girlfriend stayed in and insisted the hotel had no record of complaints. Adams says, "My reply was, I can show you my cell phone records, the photos and videos I took myself of roaches, ants, mold and leaks. I can give you the names of every hotel staff member we spoke with."

Adams is convinced the form letter response he received isn't the first the agency has sent. "I feel they intentionally defrauded me thousands of dollars and had an arsenal of phony photos ready for any complaints.” Adams soon discovered a litany of similar complaints against Pleasant Holidays from several other travelers. "I began to look through reviews on websites like TripAdvisor and Yelp," Adams explained. "On travel forums like Frommer's and Fodor's, I saw complaints exactly like ours. It became clear to my eyes Pleasant Holidays seems to promise paradise and deliver purgatory on a regular basis." Adams admits he may never see a cent of his money returned, but says, "I'll happily share my story if it means one less person ends up the victim of this unscrupulous company." Once back in California, Adams finally did propose. The couple plans to wed later this summer. "We definitely won't be using Pleasant Holidays travel services for our wedding guests," Adams was quick to add.

Don't let your dream vacation turn into a nightmare! Here are tips to protect yourself when planning your next travel getaway:

If a travel package sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure to do your homework and research before you buy.

Checking travel review websites and tourist travel forums is a good first step.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission's travel tips at http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0046-travel-tips

Many states require Sellers of Travel to register with the Attorney General's office for the respective state they operate in. Visit your state's website for more information or to file a complaint if you feel you've been the victim of a travel scam, or contact your local Better Business Bureau.

Jennifer Brown
JB Media Investigative Reporting
917-620-5202
email us here

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