I have four free nights at the Blue Mesa Recreational Ranch in Gunnison Colorado. It's a time share thing where you have to attend a half hour to one hour tour sometime during your stay and listen to a sales pitch.Has anyone camped here before? If so, what was your experience?Has anyone done this type of trip before? Where you have to listen to a time share sales pitch? I've never done this before so I'm not sure what to expect.

The sales pitch will be 2 to 3 hours and extreme high pressure. They are very skilled to get you to part with your money. They are very skilled in making their presentation a can't loose proposition. Most time shares are anything but that.SINCE YOU MUST ATTEND, LEAVE YOUR CHECK BOOK AND CREDIT CARDS IN YOUR RV. Any offer they give you where they say you have to decide in the next 2 hours is pure BS and just pressure to get you to buy something you may wish later you did not buy.If they can afford to sell you something in the next 2 hours for a certain price, they can sell it to you next week for the same price, regardless of what they say.Be prepared to be treated like royalty before and during your sales pitch. Be prepared to be treated like SH*T after the sales pitch when you don't buy. They should speak volumes why you don't want to buy.

This is a Western Horizons Resorts membership park. In 2005 WHR owned about 20 Parks you could stay at. Maybe 21. Today there are only 4 or 5 left. The owner of WHR keeps selling them off to the dismay of Members. Blue Mesa is a fairly nice park. You can stay there with reciprocals from other membership parks. Using ROD, AOR, and maybe RPI. Sort of remote, but the area is nice for exploring.Over the years we have attended dozens of these meetings. We have gotten several nice stays and gifts. I am upfront with the sales person. I tell them that we are only there for the freebees. Sometimes we have been excused from the sales presentations. Sometime the sales person can get huffy and make us watch a video. Do some research on WHR so you will be prepared.

Run!!!!!!!!!!! Far Far Away!!!!!!!!!!!! There are only a couple of people in this world I really hate and I would not even let them buy into Western Horizon Resorts.

All good information to know. We're not planning on buying into it, just want the free stay and freebies.

Do you know how to tell when a salesman is lying? When his lips are moving. They will imply that they own many more resorts but in actuality they do not, they have sold most of them. Members are left with very few places to stay and the stays are very limited (like 2 weeks), then you must stay out of their system of parks for at least a week. There is a secondary market out there for camping memberships but the transfer fees to acquire them are outrageous. Enjoy your visit there, lots of things to do around Gunnison, hiking, fishing, 4-wheeling. I certainly do not recommend buying into their empty promises.

Blue Mesa Recreational Ranch (Colorado) | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

JohnnyE_
Explorer
Jul 09, 2014
Interesting Lauren. We didn't see any of that. Maybe they've clean it up. I know the owner's children took over operations at all different businesses. We did see permanent residents though but their sites were fairly clean and without clutter.

I wouldn't go there again. I don't even think I'd stay in a public campground out there. It was too HOT and not enough shade.
Lauren
Explorer
Jul 09, 2014
We got a freebie there a few years back. Could hardly wait to get otta there. It was not only the sales pitch - we knew that - but the place itself. Now, how is this for good sales presentation - they put us right next to a permanent resident in a run down rv, a jeep no longer being used and with two flat tires and - as I recall - broken windshield. And junk all over his place. Great marketing. Boy, did we bail !
JohnnyE_
Explorer
Jul 09, 2014
Update:
My wife and I went to Blue Mesa Recreational Ranch last week. The sales pitch for the campground membership (Resorts of Distinction and something else) was about an hour and no pressure when we declined...$9K was a bit much for us considering we camp a combined 10-15 days a year. They did, however, make good on all the freebies such as 4 free nights, full day pontoon boat rental, horseback riding and free dinner.

Campground wise, the sites were "ok". Dirt, not level, full hookups, picnic table and a standing charcoal grill. Some people (that brought their own fire rings) had campfires. Wireless didn't work for us at the campsite (worked at the clubhouse). They have two swimming pools and spas. One is for families, the other is for adults only. They rent ATVs too.

Overall, it's a nice place. It'd be nicer if they leveled out their sites and boosted the WiFi but I didn't complain since I was staying there for free.

They don't lose any money bringing you out there for the sales pitch...they own the marinas, pontoon boats and restaurant. Complete write-off for them at the end of the year.

Again, no pressure on the sales pitch, which was nice. I talked to a few people and it was the third or forth time for them coming out for the sale pitch to get the freebies.
Bipeflier
Explorer
Jan 12, 2014
If it was such a great deal they wouldn't need to lure you into coming to their campground, folks would be lining up to buy without the pressure sales.

Pay for your own campsite somewhere else near Blue Mesa and enjoy your weekend.
Major_Dad
Explorer
Jan 11, 2014
jolooote wrote:
Never Never NEVER get involved in ANY Time Share!

As an Economics teacher, I have to ditto that!
jolooote
Explorer
Jan 09, 2014
Never Never NEVER get involved in ANY Time Share!
Allworth
Explorer II
Jan 09, 2014
Stayed there for five nights a couple of years ago as Coast-to-Coast members.

Park was nice. Sales staff people looked like timeshare salesmen anywhere.
bdpreece
Explorer II
Jan 09, 2014
Do you know how to tell when a WHR salesman is lying? He/She is still alive!
rhochnadel
Explorer
Jan 08, 2014
Do you know how to tell when a salesman is lying? When his lips are moving. They will imply that they own many more resorts but in actuality they do not, they have sold most of them. Members are left with very few places to stay and the stays are very limited (like 2 weeks), then you must stay out of their system of parks for at least a week. There is a secondary market out there for camping memberships but the transfer fees to acquire them are outrageous.
Enjoy your visit there, lots of things to do around Gunnison, hiking, fishing, 4-wheeling. I certainly do not recommend buying into their empty promises.
JohnnyE_
Explorer
Jan 08, 2014
All good information to know. We're not planning on buying into it, just want the free stay and freebies.