Chimera Vacations Reports & Reviews

Chimera Vacations Reports & Reviews (16)

Chimera Properties Fraud

This company advertised a rental at the Fort Lauderdale BeachPlace Towers in Fort Lauderdale Florida through VBRO. We entered a rental agreement for a stay at the property February 18-25 2023. We paid the full amount for our rental in October 2022. We tried multiple times to contact Chimera Properties through the VBRO messaging board prior as well as by telephone prior to arrival, but they did not respond until 5 PM the day before our arrival with an email containing our reservation numbers. When we arrived, the Marriott BeachPlace Toweres informed us that Chimera had not paid for the first night . Our family of 6 had no where to stay so I ended up paying close to 1,000.00 to pay for that first night. Multiple attempts to call Chimera Properties and to message them were ignored. VBRO support likewise did not assist us. This is an unethical fraudulent company,. I have submitted formal complaints against both Chimera properties and VBRO to the Better Business Bureau. Thus far VBRO has failed to acknowledge their responsibility for allowing this unethical business to operate at their website. Judging from other complaints at this site, I expect this is Chimera's modus operandi.

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CHIMERA RUINED OUR FAMILY VACATION

CHIMERA RUINED OUR FAMILY VACATION!

My husband, 7 year old son and I booked a one week stay at one of their locations in Steamboat Springs, CO. FIVE DAYS before our flight they CANCELLED our reservation! We tried multiple times to reach them by phone with no success. We booked through AirBnb and they were unable to reach them either.

They gave NO EXPLANATION as to why they cancelled our stay. The only reason that we can think of is that we booked through AirBnb and they were able to book the same unit outside of AirBnb and avoid the fee.

Now we have flights with nowhere to stay. Chimera ruined our family vacation and our 7 year old son is very disappointed.

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Find a reputable firm that accepts phone calls

Chimera is a total joke. Never answers calls, never returns messages… ever. I have regretted anything more than doing business with this pathetic firm. If it is wasnt for Expedia and VRBO I would have never found nor used them.

Caveat emptor.. run away from these losers.

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The WORST!!! Avoid Chimera - shame on VRBO for working with them!!!

Bait and switched me to a way higher priced accommodation. I tried to cancel my reservation 3 HOURS after making it. VRBO said it was Chimera's no refund cancellatin policy (I have that in wiriting) so I contacted Chimera and when they FINALLY got back to me, they said - which I also have in writing - that it is not their cancellation policy; it is VRBO's and VRBO has my money! I keep contacting VRBO and they tell me the same damn thing - that Chimera has my money and it's THEIR policy. The bait and switch was that a rep from Chimera showed me a perfect 1 BR villa in my price range through a VRBO chat. I tried to book it on VRBO immediately and couldn't. They guy had sent me the link to book it through VRBO and I clicked it the second I got it - in real time - and I couldn't book it, wouldn't work. Within 1-2 minutes of the guy sending me that message, I messaged him back to tell him that I wanted to book it but it wouldn't work. So he ghosts me. For days. Finally someone gets back to me - "Oh yeah, we don't have that one anymore. We have this one." It's a 2 BR - substantially more expensive. I tell the guy my story and ask if he can honor the price of the 1 BR. Says there's no way, this 2 BR will book at full price right away. Ugh. We had been saving for vacation for 6 years. It was way more than I wanted to spend but I have 1 daughter going off to college next year and another who had been suffering from depression, we NEEDED this vacation. I booked it. I had just checked airfare 2-3 days prior and we could swing it. Guess what? Immediately after booking the pricey 2 BR, I go to book the airfare - it TRIPLED in price. $1100 per person to fly when it was under $400 pp just a couple of days before. I checked every airport/airline. Same. I get right back to the guy - within hours and go on VRBO and cancel, requesting a refund since it was so fast - surely they didn't lose business from me having the place booked for 3 hours?!?!?! Afterall, didn't the guy JUST say to me that it was going to book right away if I didn't book it? Impossible to get a hold of, totally rude to me, lying about the policy ( or not - could be VRBO lying - but that's weird - who's policy is it? Maybe my lawyers will find out.)

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Would you please let us know what happened? I am going through this same thing right now and am planning legal action. Please advise. Thank you

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Oh my god this is priceless! You filed a police report on me? They haven’t busted down my door yet. Please file a police report I beg of you because I have all of the evidence I printed out every conversation between me and you my credit card statement my receipt everything the times that I canceled my reservation within a couple of hours of making it everything every conversation I had with Vrbo every conversation I had with you The BBB response everything I have it all so please send your lawyers. I went to my own lawyer and he felt so badly for me because as you know I was making this trip because my daughter was very very sick and still is and now we can’t pay her medical bills because you stole our money. But that’s another story I digress. My lawyer said most unfortunately in situation is like these I’m gonna end up paying more in legal fees then I would get from you. So I’m just gonna continue to tell all of my friends this whole story and everyone I know about Chimera vacations I’ve put it put it on Facebook I’ve put it on Instagram I will continue to tell my story so other people don’t get ripped off by [censored] like you. I can’t believe that you have the audacity to tell people that I never made a reservation with you and never gave you money. You said that on the BBB site which is why they dismissed it. They believed you even know after you responded I responded again and showed them my receipts they had already drop the case because that’s the BBB they completely suck and they can’t really act as a legal entity so they can’t really get my money back from you. There’s a certain point where they just have to stop fighting it . You lied to them and you’re lying to these people. There is no way I would use this much time and energy to fight someone for no reason. You stole $6880 from my me. And then you have the audacity by telling the Better Business Bureau that I’m delusional that I never ever made any kind of reservation with you through VRBO. Insane! Please call the cops I’m begging you to do it I can’t wait until they hear my side of the story and they see all my receipts and they see all them all of my conversation and they see the booking screenshots from VRBO and everything else.

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I wish I had read these BEFORE

It's amazing to me that these stories are posted here. Our family experienced an almost IDENTICAL situation as many have described above.

We booked a stay with one of "their properties" paying the full amount up front. After jumping through their hoops (within 48 hours of booking), we NEVER HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN until the night before our trip. (They were supposed to give us check in instructions a week prior!)

The last minute email from them put us in another property (not at all mentioned to us--they very sneakily put a different street address in the check in instructions). At check-in, noticing that we were not in the property we booked, we called MULTIPLE TIMES with no answer. No returned voicemails either!

It seems this is their TYPICAL PATTERN after reading all the reviews above. It's a shame I didn't read these prior to booking. I should have known better--a CHIMERA is basically 2 organisms living in 1. In other words, even their NAME describes them as being TWO FACED! LOL

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Beware of Chimera Vacations. In October 2021, I booked a Chimera unit in Marriott Mountainside Resort Park City through VRBO for March 2022. Unit paid in full at time of reservation. A few weeks before vacation, Chimera Vacations canceled the stay, citing COVID as reason. Called resort directly and spoke to the manager who assured me there were no COVID cancellations by the resort or any facilities in Park City. Interestingly, my unit was relisted on VRBO at twice the price I paid. I believe Chimera vacations is either renting units through VRBO which they do not have and/or canceling previously made reservations in an attempt to make more money. Either way, unethical. Multiple calls to Chimera Vacations (no answer), voicemails and emails unreturned.

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Initial means of contact Not applicable

AVOID, AVOID, AVOID

I really wish I had read these reviews - and more importantly Chimera's responses - before trying to do business with them. The way Chimera responds to these compliants is also how they treat their customers - horribly. When you don't respond - when you cancel an offer after a few hours (offer sent 7pm - cancelled at 10am following day) - customers are going to be frustrated. Chimera then has the audacity to turn around and accuse you of being rude when asking for explanations.
This is a poorly run, unethical, and unprofessional business. There is a reason they have inventory when no other providers do. Maybe spend less time sending nasty messages to people trying to book vacations and more time on customer service - just an idea.

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Hello Chimera Vacations...
Is anyone there?

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Haha no joke! I cannot get ahold of anyone via email, facebook messenger, phone call, voicemail, airbnb, website inquiry. This is RIDICULOUS! Everything everyone said here is my exact experience. Terrifies me that if I do stay booked with them, I'll show up and they'll be like what are you talking about? We dont have a booking for you. lol SO FRUSTRATING!

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I think you might be right. I made a request to book a week ago and haven't heard anything back. I've left 3-4 voices messages and sent 3-4 emails, with no response. I'm not sure if they're even open for business. I'm also not convinced Chimera has any affiliation with, or rights to rent the properties they are listing.

If a Chimera representative is monitoring this site, please post a response with the best way to get in touch with you, or if you actually have these properties available to rent, just let us know how to actually make a reservation with you.

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+11

Initial means of contact Not applicable

I have the exact same complaint as above. They take your money, and they keep you hostage while they try and find you a property. They do not give you a confirmation # but they still take your money and hold you in limbo. How can you take my $$$ and not give me a product or service. This company is a scam.

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I intend to address my complaint with the BBB. However, if you have made it to this site you likely have also had a poor experience. I would not suggest using this company and intend to ask VRBO and AirBNB to look into if they want to continue to post their rentals. I do not post poor reviews. I had no rude or aggressive behavior. I was not blocked from the rental. I simply did not hear from them for 4 days and then was told the location was unavailable. If you have the time to wait, then give it a try. However, many of us planning vacations need to know if available within 24 hours. If you want clarification, simply try to call them. You will be able to leave a phone message. My polite calls were never returned. I only write to warn others from having the same poor experience I had. I hope it improves.

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Victim Location 75056
Type of a scam Counterfeit Product

Chimera will offer a number of amazing vacation rentals across the US and Mexico. They will offer these on VRBO and on their company website. They will require a full deposit at booking and will say they will confirm your reservation within 24 hours. No one answers the phone, no one replies to emails, no one replies to Facebook messages on their Facebook page. Not sure if anyone has actually ever successfully rented from them...my guess is that they are harvesting credit card information. My posts on their Facebook page were deleted after I questioned if they were actually a real travel agency and they furthermore blocked me from making any more comments.

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