I can't imagine how people can become a sucker for such hare-brained schemes. How can you plan for luxurious expenses 25 years in advance & pay lacs of rupees for it today? How can you trust a company that it will stay in business & keep up its promises for next 25 years? How can you agree to have your plans confined to a select group of destinations, one destination per year & the whole week at a single destination? Why should somebody pay in advance for 25 years for something he may or may not be able or willing to do later? And how does all this make sense when compared with schemes which allow you to holiday first & then pay later by instalments. Just can't imagine...
The timing of the article is just right. This is the peak season where most of them take holidays. I am sure millions of readers would benefit from this article. I have been getting calls from many of these Time Share companies. However, my gut feel made me stay from the lure of vacation. Also, each individual has their own tastes and preferences. Once you pay up, you bound by their rules, cost escalations and other things. Why fall for such bad investment options? If you research and plan your holidays, it would work out cheaper than the Time Share companies...,
RE:Timing of the article
by Kumar Kumar on Dec 27, 2007 02:40 PM Permalink
Hey, time is write for another reason, Mahindra Holidays is coming up with IPO this Jan.
Its very true that every person has its own style to go on holidays. Liking and budget vary from person to person and anything suitable for a person may not be suitable for another. Similarly timeshare ownership of a company is useful for those person who:
1)like to stay in 3*-5* accommodation. 2)like to enjoy the sightseeing in relaxed manner and like to enjoy other facilities like using inhouse kitchen, sports, play area for chidren and party activities also during the stay. 3)can plan holidays in advance. The timeshare company needs at least a month's notice in peak season to confirm the accomodation. It is practically possible because one has to book his own travel arrangements too which is normally done in one month advance for getting confirm accomodation if he is travelling by train. One week advance booking is sufficient in case of non peak season.
So, for the people of such mentality & liking as mentioned above, timeshare ownership of a good company having atleast 10 own resorts and membership fees of less than 1 lac rupees is worthwile in my openion.
RE:Suitability of timeshare
by Kumar Kumar on Dec 27, 2007 02:44 PM Permalink
Club Mahindra' only 5 out of 16 resorts are Five Star resorts. Rest of the other resorts are leased resorts and are of only 3 star quality. You can check published rate for these resorts
RE:Suitability of timeshare
by basant saraf on Dec 27, 2007 03:34 PM Permalink
How about considering Sterling Resorts, which give all facility of splitting, accumulating,gifting of days, have more than 12 own operational resort, and membership costing less than 1 lac.
That's the most enlightening article from rediff/outlook. Hope this was published before I was victimised by Spring Holidays. I was also invited in a Hotel's micro hall and promised heaven and forced to make a quick decision. I paid 15K and when I came out and started giving it a thought I came to a decision that such a thing is not for me. All the calls for a refund fell on deaf ears. -Punit
I am not here to refute or support any of the claims mentioned in this message board.
I wish to share my experience without any bias.
The experience with Club Mahindra and RCI has been fantastic and I am happy with their customer services. The visit to Munnar was memorable, the rooms were clean, the people were friendly and they made our family's holiday memorable. I am sure you wouldnt find this in a 5 star hotel as well.
Now secondly when I see all the posts below, I certainly see a lot mistakes that people commit when investing into such options. Remember you are putting in your hard earned money so Dont get carried away by the sales mens presentation and his value selling.
The Sales guy from Club Mahindra who sold me my timeshare had to put in 3 hours of gruelling with me before I committed to taking this. I ensured that all the terms and conditions were clearly read and understood. I even went to the extend of getting the sales guy repeat everything thrice like an interrogation session just to see, whether he was maintaining the versions. I was impressed by the guy and offered him a job in my company.
But, bottomline my friends here is that you have to be careful while investing a single penny into timeshare, funds, schemes etc etc.... and if you do not confirm things clearly, its a loss for you guys.
So far my journey with Club Mahindra has been exciting.
Normally, the modus operandi of this is to induce innocent people luring them that they were most luckiest people in a draw conducted and they got prizes to claim. Hurry and collect at a designated mall. When you visit convenience store, they would ask you to fill a coupon and put it in a box. Thereafter, with all address/telephone particulars, they call you over phone and ask you to come along with your spouse. They would insist that spouse should invariably accompany you, failing, you are not enttiled to claim the prize. I was receiving phone calls like this and I told them that since I am busy I requested the prize to my residence. They did not agree. They insisted that I should personally come and collect. My wife in the meantime dropped this lucky dip affair with her friends/relatives. They cautioned her not to visit the mall under any circumstances as they would force you to sign up some membership forms for which you are liable to go on subscribing. This is rather forced sale promotion in short, the terms and conditions would not be revealed and one would be trapped. Be ware and do not attend these sale promotion holiday inducements.
1) All their resorts are located in far-flung location, way out of city/town. Taxis will charge up to Rs. 4000 to take you their from airport/rail stations. 2) Only lodging costs are covered, food to be purchased at exhorbiant prices. 3) Every year you need to pay a maintenance charge, so you keep paying. 4) Lumpsum amount paid in advance, if invested in shares/mutual fund, can easily give returns good enough to cover your 5* stays. 5) NO GUARANTEE you will get a room, as lean period (cheap period) is limited and people rush for it. 6) They have around 15 resorts and 60000 members (as per they site). Go calculate if it is possible to get a room booked at a time of your own choice.
RE:club mahindra
by beena nishith on Dec 28, 2007 12:11 PM Permalink
Are you member of club mahindra ? you are right , i want resale this membership? Is it possible ? what is procedure ? All people who are having same view as yours should make a group ,then we will do something. Like no more yearly maintenance charge,as in sterlings.or food should be included in maintenance charge.
Hi, thanks to ur article, I've been enlightened. I was supposed to sign-up with CLUB MAHINDRA for their time-share holidays bcoz of their name & reputation. However, this article has helped me save not only my hard-earned money but also a lot of hassles & heard-ache's of future, had I signed up with them. Thanks a ton, once again.
Club Mahendra has a nasty way of sales!In most of their sales, customer get a feeling that they are misleaded or cheated! Both party should feel happy and comfortable in such a sales like timeshare .Its a long term relationship!
Club Mahendra's management has crap and old ideas implemented in sales desks. They are too much hurry to rob the customers and hiding information from them.
They must have much better sales practices and competitive products!
RE:Club Mahindra has nasty sales practices!
by raj ahmad on Dec 27, 2007 01:06 PM Permalink
not only Club mahindra but the Bank like ABN AMRo also making fool to their credit card customer, beware of this kind of call from bank other wise next month statement your debt balnce will reflect for membership for holiday clubs
RE:Club Mahindra has nasty sales practices!
by shankar venkat on Dec 27, 2007 01:57 PM Permalink
Yes. You are right. Some of the Credit Card companies have been offering EMI's on Time share Holidays and before you could say "Yes" to the offer, you monthly statement would have the debit reflecting.
