I'll try to condense this, but will start by saying if you look at BBB for TLC Marketing you'll find 111 complaints for this year (a week ago it was 97). I sent in my cert approx 6 weeks in advance of my trip date of Dec. 7. After waiting the required time, I started calling. Every time I got another excuse & runaround--told to call back later, 3-5 days, next week etc. No one ever contacted me as promised until I filed a complaint with BBB.

That prompted a TLC rep to call me yesterday. I'm guessing it was her first day on the job, as she put me on hold about 10 times and at one point said I have to go, I'll call you back. She did not have the hotel that was listed in the booklet available at the "promotional rate", even though the hotel has plenty of rooms available at a rate of about $138. I am looking for something in the Palm Springs area--there are at least a hundred hotels with availability under $150 for my dates.

She had only one choice for me, Palm Mountain Resort. After reading reviews, I declined. Some reviews described a nice room & stay, so they must have received the refurbished rooms. Others said their room was filthy, dark, cockroaches, scum & mildew bathrooms, tattered furniture, sagging beds with springs poking through, hanging electrical outlets. I phoned the hotel and learned with the promo I'd receive a "standard" room (i.e. not refurbished); one reviewer described the place as being akin to a Mexican roadside motel. I was told by the TLC CSR "tax" would be $44; when you check the hotel's website tax comes to $24. CSR said they don't send new certs but I can call any time to book something else later; I've called twice since & no return phone call from TLC.

MA BBB says they're closing my file as case has been resolved, per the company.

There's quite a dialog about this promo on FatWallet. Recently people who have been lucky enough to get something booked, arrive to find their room hasn't been paid for by TLC. I sure wasn't going to risk that happening with all the time I've already spent on this. Besides the BBB, I've also filed complaints with the MA & CA Attorney General's offices.