Team-BHP > Travelogues > Route / Travel Queries
Register New Topics New Posts Top Thanked Team-BHP FAQ


View Poll Results: Are Time Share Memberships VFM?
Yes, definitely. 17 9.83%
No way! 118 68.21%
Not quite sure, I can't make up my mind. 38 21.97%
Voters: 173. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
  Search this Thread
99,576 views
Old 8th April 2010, 16:08   #1
Team-BHP Support
 
SmartCat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 7,225
Thanked: 52,214 Times
Club Mahindra / Time Share Memberships - Make sense?

Membership to timeshare resorts from Club Mahindra/Country Club and many other "clubs" cost a one-time fee of anywhere between Rs. 1.5 Lacs to Rs. 2.5 Lacs. For this amount, one gets to holiday in any of the club resorts for approx 10 days per year.

ADVANTAGES -

- No nasty surprises when it comes to resort quality. How many times have we booked a nice looking resort on the internet, only to be disappointed after getting there? Club Mahindra/Country club resorts across locations more or less have the same quality.

- Membership seems to be ideal for the target audience (busy executive who is married with Kids). He takes off on a holiday only twice a year. And on a holiday, he would like to lounge in the pool while the kids go about jumping up and down on a trampoline.

DISADVANTAGES:

- Why pay for something in advance? Instead of paying Rs. 2 Lacs for the membership, why not invest in the stock market and get an average of 20% per annum? That's Rs. 40,000 worth of holidays per year!

- You are stuck with the same old destinations that everybody goes to. Your holiday destination is dictated by locations where Club Mahindra has resorts, rather than where you or your family wants to go to.

- The number of holidays/year is restricted to around 10 (this number varies, though). Plus, when you try to get to a destination during peak season, there are chances that rooms might not be available.


MY VIEW:

When we buy cars, we enjoy the end product (the vehicle) in advance, and pay for it in installments. But when it comes to club memberships, we pay money in advance, but enjoy the end product (the holiday) in installments. Going by the financial performance/profit margins of companies like Club Mahindra (listed in stock exchanges), it looks like promoters are getting a better deal than the customers.

Last edited by SmartCat : 8th April 2010 at 16:09.
SmartCat is offline   (6) Thanks
Old 8th April 2010, 16:24   #2
Team-BHP Support
 
ampere's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 18,339
Thanked: 13,628 Times

I was in the same dilemma. Somehow I still could not justify the cost of membership. Depending on where we want to go, we also can modulate our budget. But in this case the price and places have been pre-planned and pre-payed.

Though I agree that the quality is also pre-decided, but still the cost keeps hitting me back.
ampere is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 8th April 2010, 16:34   #3
Team-BHP Support
 
tsk1979's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 23,688
Thanked: 23,494 Times

It does not make any sense.
More so because to book a popular destination you need to book months in advance, unless you are going in off season, for example Goa in Summers.
Moreover, the cost analysis even with 10% interest is a lose lose proposition. Besides that, when you have a package like that, you let packages guide your destination.
You may want to visit some lovely remove place, but it always turns out to be the mussourie trip because thats where the resort is.
If you take 2-3 fixed vacations a year, pre planned, and like to visit 5 star kind acco always with kids then it may make sense, but for the regular traveler, its a bad bad deal.
tsk1979 is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 8th April 2010, 16:42   #4
Senior - BHPian
 
mobike008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 12,000
Thanked: 17,175 Times

I find these offers a big sham ( even if being part of the same group)

Its best to stay away from such schemes and invest that money and use the returns for a holiday ( perhaps, a little less luxurious)
mobike008 is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 8th April 2010, 16:49   #5
Team-BHP Support
 
SmartCat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 7,225
Thanked: 52,214 Times

The promoter of Country Club is probably suspect - going by the number of cases against Country Club in the consumer courts. Almost all of them have something to do with "Free Land/Site" that they offer.

However, Club Mahindra promoter pedigree is impeccable.
SmartCat is offline  
Old 8th April 2010, 16:59   #6
Senior - BHPian
 
mobike008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 12,000
Thanked: 17,175 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by smartcat View Post
The promoter of Country Club is probably suspect - going by the number of cases against Country Club in the consumer courts. Almost all of them have something to do with "Free Land/Site" that they offer.

However, Club Mahindra promoter pedigree is impeccable.
Absolutely. Just look at Rajeev Reddy and Anand Mahindra and you will know why?
mobike008 is offline  
Old 8th April 2010, 17:00   #7
BHPian
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Pune
Posts: 727
Thanked: 12 Times

No way is what I voted for. For all the disadvantages listed by OP and more.

I generally do 4/5 small trips and 1 long (7-10 days) per year and to a variety of locations (some of which may not be popular tourist spots as I like to avoid crowds). Also I quite enjoy travelling w/o a set itinerary/booking and neither am I averse to a little bit of risk while choosing locations/resorts on the internet - and rather than lounging about in a comfortable resort throughout my vacation I would prefer doing that at my home at no cost!
Abhay is offline  
Old 8th April 2010, 17:07   #8
Team-BHP Support
 
SmartCat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 7,225
Thanked: 52,214 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by mobike008 View Post
Absolutely. Just look at Rajeev Reddy and Anand Mahindra and you will know why?
We call the Country Club guy as 'Tenga Man'. He keeps showing his thumb for some strange reason in all his TV and print ads.

Club Mahindra / Time Share Memberships - Make sense?-countryclubck27launch06.jpg

Club Mahindra / Time Share Memberships - Make sense?-countryclubusa742051.jpg

Club Mahindra / Time Share Memberships - Make sense?-pic-8.jpg

Club Mahindra / Time Share Memberships - Make sense?-yanaguptawithrajivreddy04.jpg
SmartCat is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 8th April 2010, 17:07   #9
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bangalore,Karwar,Vasco-Goa
Posts: 112
Thanked: 3 Times

Country Club is definitely not worth it. That's what majority of the persons known to me had to say.

As smartcat mentioned investing in Stocks or maybe Mutual Funds & getting a return of 20% & then using that money to fund holidays is a workable option.
Rajiv-Bang is offline  
Old 8th April 2010, 17:08   #10
BHPian
 
advaitlele's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Pune, Vadodara
Posts: 528
Thanked: 465 Times

As TSK and others have said it, even @ 10% interest calculation would mean we have 20000 interest per year that is enough for a 3N-4D holiday at a decent hotel and destination.

Why would anyone pre-pay for service that he/she is going to avail of in next 10 years? On top of that we have to pay some fixed amount towards maintenance of the membership.

I won't like to be tied down to same resorts, same destinations. Instead would put that money to work and enjoy my vacation on the interest/dividend/returns. Makes sense for me.
advaitlele is offline  
Old 8th April 2010, 17:11   #11
BANNED
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 362
Thanked: 68 Times

Quote:
- Why pay for something in advance? Instead of paying Rs. 2 Lacs for the membership, why not invest in the stock market and get an average of 20% per annum? That's Rs. 40,000 worth of holidays per year!

- You are stuck with the same old destinations that everybody goes to. Your holiday destination is dictated by locations where Club Mahindra has resorts, rather than where you or your family wants to go to.

- The number of holidays/year is restricted to around 10 (this number varies, though). Plus, when you try to get to a destination during peak season, there are chances that rooms might not be available.
1. Investing in stock market is not always gauranteed
2. You are not stuck with the same destinations, with these membership, you also get RCI membership with very nominal price. In year 2008 we went to visit east side of US like Fort lauderdale, Orlando, Atlantic city, New York etc and we had booked 3 resorts for 3 weeks at different destination. With kind of accomodation we were given, if we had to pay for the hotels for that, we had to pay total of US$ 8000 plus, therefore my initial cost of Rs. 125000/- has been recovered from my second trip itself, though my initial cost had been recovered from my first holidays in Europe itself. with RCI you also get lot of bonus weeks like we went to Goa and Mumbai for three weeks last year and used only one week other two were bonus weeks. Most of time we get bonus weeks.
3. With RCI you can take as many as weeks every year. Offcource you need to plan your holidays in advance otherwise you will have to take whatever is available.
I have voted in favour and yes I also used to think, Its a waste of money but now I am changed person.
I am man with few word otherwise I can write lot of benefits but slowly at a time.
I am a Club Mahindra member.

Last edited by jacksons : 8th April 2010 at 17:18.
jacksons is offline  
Old 8th April 2010, 17:17   #12
Team-BHP Support
 
SmartCat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 7,225
Thanked: 52,214 Times

Good point. RCI membership swings it in Club Mahindra favour for those who are interested in taking foreign holidays without the help of tour operators.
SmartCat is offline  
Old 8th April 2010, 18:01   #13
J.Ravi
 
Posts: n/a

There are many cheating cases filed against Country Club/Country Vacations in various courts in India. Fraudsters and cheats are doing roaring business in India by duping gullible public. I do not pay in advance for enjoying their hospitality in future. Even if it is costlier, better pay and avail of the service instead of getting duped by these fraudsters. So, I voted for 'No way!'.
 
Old 8th April 2010, 19:10   #14
BANNED
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 362
Thanked: 68 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Ravi View Post
There are many cheating cases filed against Country Club/Country Vacations in various courts in India. Fraudsters and cheats are doing roaring business in India by duping gullible public. I do not pay in advance for enjoying their hospitality in future. Even if it is costlier, better pay and avail of the service instead of getting duped by these fraudsters. So, I voted for 'No way!'.
Every company is not like that, there are exceptions always.
Look at Club Mahindra and RCI, they are very good.
jacksons is offline  
Old 9th April 2010, 11:56   #15
Team-BHP Support
 
tsk1979's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 23,688
Thanked: 23,494 Times

I once got a call from Club Mahiindra to attend their "talk". The deal was voucher for a vacation.
The voucher was given to us as promised.
2 Months before expiry I tried booking resorts around Delhi. Month was march(not season time), and none of the resorts were free for the weekends.
With that kind of "full" status does it really make any sense unless you plan your vacations months in advance?
As for international resorts etc., I have discovered, that sites like hotwire etc., enable you to vacation in good resorts for 80$ a night or even less(if you don't mind Inns)
tsk1979 is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed


Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks