You may have heard me mention BookVIP before, and you may have even seen some of their ads on Facebook or Instagram. They advertise these incredibly low prices on luxury resorts, and I bet they made you just a little curious. I mean who doesn’t love a great deal on travel? Maybe you even clicked on an ad or two but wondered if the advertised price is too good to be true. You may have asked yourself, “Is BookVIP legit?” What is the catch? Is it a huge scam? Well, hopefully after reading this post you can decide if BookVIP.com is right for you or not. I have read hundreds of reviews, done lots of research, and have used them to book a trip for myself. In fact, we have a second trip booked for this fall.

This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission if you click on the links at no additional cost to you. However, all opinions are my own.

What is BookVIP?

BookVIP is an American travel agency headquartered in Miami with additional offices in Asia. The company is the leader in discounted vacation promotional packages and is also one of the fastest-growing travel companies in North America serving over 1 million customers per year. BookVIP.com offers 24 hour, 7 day per week service for its clients and is available before, during, and after their trip. BookVIP has a consumer rating of 4.59 stars from over 9,000 reviews and ranks 11th among vacation sites. Customer reviews are mixed, but over 91% are positive (over the past 12 months). They currently have an A rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Just to give you an idea, here are some of their current promotions:

7 Nights at Krystal Cancun Resort – $799 total for 2 people

5-Star Cabo Beach Resort – $499

Orlando deals

Wisconsin Dells Vacations

Myrtle Beach

I want to share with you my own personal experiences as well as what I have learned through research so that you can understand exactly what to expect if you decide to use this company. If you want to check out what they have to offer please click on any links to BookVIP in this post to navigate directly to their site’s current promotions. I will tell you all about my BookVIP purchases, planning, and the trip itself. I want you to know exactly what you are signing up for if you decided to book your own BookVIP vacation package. Hopefully, I will answer all your questions and more.

Is BookVIP legit or is it a scam?

Honestly, it did seem too good to be true when I first heard about it. My greatest fear when booking travel like that is that I will get scammed and end up on some television show talking about how this company took millions of dollars from people then disappeared. But I can tell you that it is totally OK to click the links or go to their site. It is a legitimate company as I’ve described above. BookVIP has provided thousands of people with excellent vacations at discounted rates. They have more positive video customer reviews than any other travel company.

They have deals as low as $99 for 3 nights and $399 total for a 5-night all-inclusive vacation package with airport pickup in Cancun for 2 people! So what is the catch? What else will they make you pay for? There is no trick, and it is not a scam. If you’ve been following me for any time at all you know that I am a planner when it comes to travel. So I did my research. I love discounts, but I do not want to sacrifice quality in order to save money. I also only like to do business with companies that have a good reputation in the travel industry and only recommend to you products and services I use myself or know to be a great company.

So what did I discover reading reviews and articles about this company? The large majority of reviews were positive! With over 9,000 reviews of course there are some negative ones as well. However, it seemed that the majority of negative reviews were because people did not read the fine print and understand the terms and conditions. It is important to know all the details, and I hope to help with that. We loved our stay in Branson, Missouri so much that we have another trip with BookVIP booked in Mexico.

How does payment work?

There are usually several options with paying for BookVIP vacations. There is usually a downpayment of around $99 with an option to pay it all upfront and usually options to upgrade to a bigger room, all-inclusive, or a suite. Sometimes in order to respond to the sale or promotion, you will have to pay a downpayment first without securing exact dates. Then you call the number given to you in your confirmation e-mail to secure your vacation dates and finalize your payment. It is better if your dates are flexible, as you will have a lot more options that way. Since I am a teacher I can only travel on school holidays, which limits me.

You will get a detailed email from BookVIP with instructions. You usually have a year (sometimes up to two years) to schedule your dates. I would not pay the whole thing until you have secured specific dates for your trip. Just pay the downpayment only until you call back with dates. However, if you do decide to pay for it all upfront you will be offered gifts and incentives such as a free 3-night stay at one of their domestic locations or vacation credit.

More About Booking Travel Dates

Some of the negative reviews I read were from people who didn’t understand how the dates work. You may not always be able to get the exact dates you want for the resort you want to visit. The more flexible you can be on the dates, the better off you will be. If you try to book on very short notice, you may not get a room. And do not book your airfare until your dates are confirmed. Each resort that partners with BookVIP only leaves a certain amount of rooms open for people booking through BookVIP, and they go quickly.

Will I Be Able To Get The Exact Dates I Want?

So I mentioned above that the resorts only leave a few rooms open for BookVIP travelers. That is because BookVIP is a discount travel company that partners with timeshare resorts. The reason their prices are so low is that they are trying to drive customers to these resorts in the hopes that they can sell them a world-wide timeshare program.

The BookVIP company does all of the advertising and marketing and booking for each vacation package purchased. They also vet customers to assure that they qualify for the promotion. Then they pass that information on to the actual resort, and the resort finalizes everything.

So, here’s the bottom line. Plan as far in advance as possible, because each resort only keeps a certain number of rooms available for time-share presentation groups and these rooms go on a first-come-first-served basis. The rest of the rooms are left for full-paying customers or time-share owners. In some of the reviews I read, people were upset that the dates they wanted were not available or that they had to switch resorts in order to travel on the dates they wanted. But if you know all of this upfront and understand why then you can plan accordingly.

So some of the negative reviews I read claimed that BookVIP ripped them off because they would not honor their travel dates. But if the dates you want are not workable for the resort, this does not mean that BookVIP is being dishonest. It just means that others got ahead of you on scheduling those dates for their BookVIP purchased vacation package.

So click through my site to BookVIP and select a destination. Look at the trip packages offered, choose one, and pay the downpayment (usually $99). Then call customer service and make sure the dates you want are available. Answer the qualifying questions and agree to the timeshare presentation. Then plan your trip. If you book too far in advance you will have to call again and confirm with them that you still qualify about a month or two before your trip (still have a job for example). Once everything is confirmed, then you are safe to book your flight.

Will I Have To Listen To A Timeshare Sales Presentation?

So what is the catch? What is BookVIP getting out of this? They have fantastic deals available in locations all over the world. How can they afford to advertise prices that are 50% – 80% off regular price vacation packages purchased directly through the resort or other third-party travel companies? Will I have to listen to a timeshare sales presentation? The short answer: no.

Let me explain. You do not have to listen to a timeshare presentation unless you want to get certain promotions. So I guess that’s the “catch.” But this is explained up front. You attend a 90-minute presentation and will be given the opportunity to either directly own a unit at the resort or buy into a world-wide timeshare. Of course, you do not have to purchase anything if you do not want to. After the meeting, you are done and can go back and enjoy your vacation knowing that you just saved tons of money!

We decided to do it. It was a 90-minute commitment our first day there, then we were on our own. In exchange, we got a two-bedroom condo with full kitchen instead of a hotel room with no meals. On our next trip, we are upgrading to the all-inclusive package for less than $400 total for the two of us (normally $1,700) in exchange for listening to a presentation. So you have a choice.

But I want to be clear. If you do decide to upgrade or take the promotion you have an obligation to attend your scheduled time-share discussion with a resort salesperson (usually the morning of your first full day there). If you don’t show up you will get charged the full room price. I noticed some people complained in the reviews that they were never told about this requirement. Well, I am telling you now. It was always clear to me. It was communicated verbally and in writing. It lasts 90 minutes unless you act super interested, then it may last for 2 hours. Don’t take my husband with you, because he asks too many questions. Ha Ha!

So just attend the presentation. If you are not interested in purchasing anything then leave when it is over and go enjoy the rest of your awesome vacation. If you like what you see and time-share ownership into the resort works for you, then go for it. You can’t lose either way.

What BookVIP gets out of it is a large commission if someone purchases a time-share program. What the resort gets out of it is a chance to try and sell their time-shares. They give away free stays and deep discounts in the hopes that their great salespeople will close the deal.

What is the sales presentation like?

Good question. A lot of people really enjoy it and find it interesting. Honestly, I was really nervous about it. I was afraid of being made uncomfortable with a super high-pressure sales pitch and intimidation. But It was not like that for us. A customer service representative met us for a free breakfast and went over the basics of what to expect. He asked about our vacation history and preferences, how much we usually spend on vacations, and what future plans we have for vacations. Then he told us a little about the resort program.

After we ate we hopped on his golf cart and took a guided tour of the property. He explained all of the resort features and answered questions. He showed us a model room that was nicely furnished and had a great view. Then we went back, and he went over the numbers and tried to convince us that we would save money on vacations by purchasing a timeshare. We already knew we were not interested in buying a timeshare (there is no obligation to purchase), so we declined. That is when our guy turned us over to his boss who did not want to take no for an answer. By that time I was impatient to get started on our fun, so I felt a little irritated. I will warn you, these salespeople are good! But when we politely refused again he gave up, and that was that.

Besides our discounted upgrade for listening to the sales pitch, we were also rewarded with two free show tickets of our choice. Nice! If you are interested in purchasing a time-share you can sign write then, but you are also free to politely decline and enjoy your discounted vacation for the rest of your visit.

They will not give up easily. If you say no they will show you another package at a lower price, then an even lower one. So you can decide to do it or stick with your “no” answer and move on. We decided ahead of time what our response would be no matter what, so that made it easier for us. But if you truly are interested, my advice is to remember that their price is negotiable. Keep bargaining with them, and they will cut the cost by a lot until they can offer you something affordable.

If I don’t purchase a time-share will they charge me for other stuff?

We wondered, “well since we didn’t become a member they will probably treat us poorly or charge us for extra stuff.” But they continued to treat us well even after we declined the ownership opportunity. And there were no additional charges except for ones we already knew about. There is a small resort fee or tax that is usually less than $20 and maybe an internet charge for the room.

We enjoyed our stay and never had to pay anything additional. The customer service was great. I kept thinking that it seemed too good to be true that they would no longer ask us to buy anything and let us get away with such a great deal on a condo that would normally have cost 4 times as much. But they kept their word. We did not accept their offer to purchase a time-share membership, and we had a great time.

How Do I Qualify For A BookVIP Vacation Package?

This is another topic I saw in some of the complaint reviews I read. People were offended that they were asked personal questions. But this is not nearly as personal as the questions you answer on a car loan application all the time. When we responded to an ad for a $99 trip we were asked if we wanted to upgrade to an all-inclusive package for a little over $300 in exchange for listening to a time-share presentation. We didn’t really want to listen to the sales pitch, but it is 90 minutes for incredible savings in our vacation expenses. So we said yes and were then asked questions. If you agree to the promotion they will want to see if you are “qualified” first. In other words, the resorts do not want to give away promotions to people who they think cannot afford to make a purchase. So yes, they ask questions about your income.

Typically what they consider as qualified means a married couple or cohabitating couple at least 30 years of age with a valid credit card and who collectively makes over $50,000 annually. (By the way, we were never asked to show any proof of this). For singles, it has to be a woman at least 30 years old who makes at least $50,000 annually or a male at least 35 years old who makes at least $50,000 annually. You also must be working full-time or be fully retired. This can vary some, but you get the idea.

The truth is these resorts are aware that most people who attend the time-share presentations are not going to make a purchase. However, if just a few people out of a hundred do become a member or owner that is more than enough for the resort to make a profit. So there is no obligation to purchase anything, and you can still enjoy a great vacation.

So What Does All This Mean?

The sad thing is that most of the complaints I read were due to people not understanding the information given to them and who had not even taken a trip with the company. So now that you have all of the information it is up to you to decide if BookVIP is the right travel company for you. Remember that there are many BookVIP sales that do not involve a timeshare presentation. But if you are looking for an incredible deal at a 4 or 5-star resort for a great memory-making vacation I encourage you to try out BookVIP.

If you want to know more about BookVIP or what locations and resorts they offer, click here to navigate to their site and check out the latest promotions. You can also purchase a trip through this link and help support Banjo and Layla.

Are You a Travel Blogger?

Are you a travel blogger who wants to get paid for spreading the good new about BookVIP travel? If you want to become an affiliate partner for BookVIP click HERE. It is a great program. I only like to advertise for products and services that I use myself and believe in, so BookVIP is a good fit for me. Check it out!