2.
A couple of years before she retired and returned to India
from Dubai, Geeta Kumar bought a package at
a timeshare holiday resort, hoping to go on regular
holidays with her family. Though three to four years have
passed and she has been on only one holiday - to Coorg in
Karnataka. But Kumar is hopeful of putting her package to
good use. "The timeshare package would ensure my
family and I go on a holiday at least once a year. I feel that
is an advantage, as the resorts are in good locations and
you can really get away from the crowded city. But the
fact that we have to pay the subscription fee even if we
don't go every year does pinch," she says.
3. Mukesh Shand, an information technology
professional from Pune, feels his investment has
gone to waste. His advice to anyone considering
a timeshare package: Never opt for one. "The
initial down-payment, along with the annual
maintenance charges, works out to be more
expensive. And, whenever you plan to go on a
holiday, you find all the rooms are booked, as
everyone wants to travel during the season," he
says.
4.
Club Mahindra's rates range from Rs 2.22 lakh to Rs 17.21
lakh, depending on the season and the apartment-type
chosen. Memberships are packaged according to the
season chosen (purple - super peak season; red - school
vacation season; white - shoulder season to school
vacations and blue - off season) and by the apartment size
chosen - studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom. So, a
'purple' two-bedroom package is the most expensive.
Country Club packages include 'Billionaire Classic',
'Billionaire Premium' and 'Billionaire Gold' for five, 10 and
30 years, respectively. Non-members are allowed to stay
at any Country Club property, at Rs 35,000-45,000 a week.
Club Mahindra packages are for members alone.
5. Assured of good quality rooms and service
No impact of rise in hotel room rates
It is cheaper over a 25-30-year period
Membership in a timeshare resort could provide you access to
chains the resort has tie-ups with. For instance, Country Club owns
55 properties and has 200 affiliations within Indian and a tie-up
with RCI, which gives members access to a global portfolio of
5,000 properties. Similarly, Club Mahindra, too, has 40 properties
in India and abroad and members can enjoy international holidays
with RCI exchange facility for discounted rates.
6. Choice of destination is limited-disadvantage of a
timeshare resort package is though the package might
offer 50 destinations, you might be interested only in a
few. In such a case, you would be forced to holiday in a
place you aren't really interested in.
One has to book well in advance to ensure room
availability
You have to plan 7 day holiday every year and pay annual
maintenance cost.
7.
WHILE CHOOSING A TIMESHARE PACKAGE:Always deal with reputed brands
even if the membership comes at a premium
Look for brands that have been in the industry for a long time, because it’s not
only about the quality of properties but also how well the properties are
managed and maintained
Timeshare should be the core business of the brand that you choose to deal with
Look into the financial credibility of the brand and the credibility of the
management
Look into the history of the brand — with so much information available online, a
little research cannot hurt
Check the customer base of the firm
A bigger property portfolio
