Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Before considering Club Mahindra Membership : My personal advice


Before your purchase decision, evaluate your decision on following points:

Profile your vacation needs:
· Do you spend most of your vacation days visiting your home town or religious place, can you spare 7 days for Club Mahindra Holidays?
· Do you like to go to historical places or places like Munnar, Poovar, Coorg, etc?
· Do you go for 7 days in a stretch? If you go two places 3days + 4days, you will soon exhaust all nearby Club Mahindra resorts. You will have to revisit those places in order to utilize your membership days.
· You take such trip to relax or like to see places around as much as possible and come to hotel only in evening for sleep?
· If you can only travel in your children' vacation days, You will have to take higher season membership (Red or Purple season), white season membership will not do.
Budget:
· At Resorts everything comes at cost, full day buffet for 2 adult + 2 Children will cost you Rs2000+ , DVD rental ~Rs40 , children' activities ~Rs100- Rs300 per activity.
· Membership gives only accommodation + dry kitchen facility in some resorts. Anything else comes at a cost.
· Resorts are usually little far away from the main town, Munnar - 18km, Coorg - 5 km, Poovar - 45 km , Goa - 8km (distance from main Bus Stop), 40km from airport.
Planning:
· Can you plan 2 to 6 months in advance? It is very unlikely to get accommodation in Club Mahindra on 15 days’ notice. Do not believe sales staff if they promise so. Ask for a written commitment on it.
Cost:
· What is the cost of your money? How much you can earn on that money and utilize same for your vacation. Remember you will be paying ASF also which will increase year by year.
· Will hotel rental always increase in India? (look example of airlines: business class fares are mostly same but economy class fare has come down drastically)
· How much bank charge when you take unsecured loan? 18- 30%! What is the current floating and fixed rate for (secured) home loan? (10.5 - 13%)! 
· What will be the interest rate on unsecured loan to companies like Mahindra Holidays for 25 years?
· Do you know if you borrow 1Lakh Rs for 25 year EMI repayment option at 10.5% interest rate, your monthly outgo will be ~Rs.11433/- for 25 years.
Value:
· You are committing 25 years of business to CM.
· Mahindra Holidays spend >50% of memberships sales revenue on marketing and sales.
· Not all resorts are equally good or have commercial value, Average out resort quality.
· A season is wide spread to 16 - 24 weeks, not all weeks in a season are equally valued.
· You will be taking long holidays of 3 to 7 days, not one night stay.
· You may have to plan 2 to 6 months in advance to get your desired dates, location.
· In many respects it is comparable to low cost airlines vs. full service airlines so discount that.

Strip down marketing glare:
· Any promise apart from accommodation! (like free pickup- drop, vacation planning, etc.)
· Search on net for common problem with the Club Mahindra membership. Look
·  http://www.mouthshut.com
· Not all resorts are same.
· Some resorts has minuscule room capacity (10 - 20 rooms, for more than 1Lakh+ members), very difficult to get booking there. (see a table at end of this blog)
· Most of the people will not be able to realize RCI benefits even up to 10% of what they say.
· They run promotions year around, so if they say this offer is for just today/ this week, do not believe them.
· Usually you can avail free/complimentary holidays in low season only.
· Negotiate on complementary offers/validity days.
· There is no regulatory body in India to govern timeshare industry. Many timeshare companies have gone burst in past.
· Timeshare model Mahindra Holidays follows is not very transparent and complex too, you will not be able to know how company is performing.

Membership termination rules:
If you cancel your membership after ten days (not ten working days) of enrollment you will loose your 60% money straight (in case of full payment), in EMI scheme you will have to cancel your credit card :). Look another post:

Have you read all membership rules before signing it? you will get your membership kit only after a month. Mahindra Holidays has been changing membership/booking rules on their own wishes, can you you adjust with ever changing rules. 


Buy it in seconds sales:
· If you find membership useful to you, buy it in second sale as you can get 30-50% discount after adjusting for promotional gifts items. Link to Buy/Sell entries




Do not forget to Read following post:
My observation on Club Mahindra Membership
What are you paying for your Timeshare Membership?
Club Mahindra at its best: from 50 to 70 consumer cases in 10 months

60 comments:

  1. Hi Bhupesh,

    Many many thanks...These points will be very useful.

    Kaushal
    Mumbai.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's good that instead of giving a blanket judgement (like many other bloggers) you have left readers to decide by just highlighting certain points.

    However, one point I would like to counter and that you have repeatedly mentioned in this post. As a club mahindra member, I have never taken more than 2 nights holiday yet in my last three years. I even took just one night holiday twice. So, members don't have to stretch their holidays till 3 or 7 days.

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  3. It's good that instead of giving a blanket judgement like many other bloggers, you have left it for readers to decide and just highlighted points worth mentioning.

    However, I would like to counter one point which you have repeatedly mentioned in your blog. As a club mahindra member in last three years, I have never taken a holiday for more than 2 nights. In fact, I have taken just one night holiday twice. So members don't have to stretch their holidays till 3 or 7 days.

    I am satisfied till now with club mahindra after visiting 5 of their properties. However, I also woudn't advice taking membership to people who don't like to plan their holidays in advance and use their hotels for just sleeping after all day sightseeing. Though I would like to mention that probably, one will forsake the latter habit after going to CM resort.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Vishal,

    Thanks for your comments!

    ClubMahindra membership rules does not allow booking for less then two nights. They are not bound to provide customer one night accomodation.

    When they are not able to provide 2-3-4 days booking and they find some one night is trapped vacant in near by dates (any way that will go waste), they do offer option of booking one night to the customer.

    My point is not that one can not book 2 days accommodation, point is if one take split vacation like in this case, he will have to take 3 vacation in a year. And probably he will have to go same place again and again. One may love going one place again and again .. some people do go Goa every two year but other may like to have more resort options.

    It is all about bring this point to the knowledge of customer so he can profile his vacation needs.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Again, I would like to mention that on many occasions while making reservations I have enquired about available dates for a particular resort and the response from CM usually is a block of dates. There is no instance till now when they have expressed inability to book 1-2 night holiday.

    I have not read the rule book but even CM call center executives have never told me about this rule.

    I think the main problem people face is inability to go on holidays because of varied reasons. If someone is taking 3 holidays a year then one must thank CM for that.

    One very important psychological reason for choosing the membership, in my view, is that it encourages you to plan and go on holidays. So you don't think that whether you should go or not, but you only think where to go, obviously subject to availability.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Psychological reason should only come when one is satisfied with the other facts of the membership.

    It can not be the sole point to consider the membership. One can look for some other stimulus to motivate one self, e.g. make a (travel) group, take inspiration from other friends who take regular vacation.

    Also any psychological reason will only push for 2-3 years or little more after that it has to convert in to habit or burden.

    My own thoughts only!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I WANT TO SALE 7 DAYS OF CLUB MAHINDRA'S (RCI)RESORT IN SWIZERLAND(27 TO 3 SEP).ANYBODY INTERESTED CAN CONTACT AMIT 9958349696

    ReplyDelete
  8. hey....thanx 4 giving the details so clearly..i joined club Fraud yesterday....n m going to cancel today..ur blog was a gr8 help..:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should do it! itsnot worth it.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the review of cm membership. It's not worth taking it . I have just cancelled mine in one day . Many facts are concerned by the sales executives.

      Delete
  9. Hi All,

    Many many thanks guys for your inputs, i was planning to join CM, but i thought of reading the reviews in net before doing so. This thought helped me, which i will never ever join the CM.

    OMG, so many complaints...see this blog also http://www.consumercourt.in/travel-agent/4878-refund-cancellation-club-mahindra-membership.html

    Tons of thanks to you all....

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have been a club mahindra member since 1997 and have truly enjoyed family holidays. So much so that I purchased a second red season 1 BR last year. I think it is really value for money and there are now enough properties all over india. Have had some lovely vacations in coorg, Binsar corbett kumbalgarh. My investment has been totally worth it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I want to sell my club mahindra membership white....free air travel and food vouchers worth 20,000are also not used...2 yr rci membership also....pls contact 09888015096 if intrested...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Pls contact09888015096 to buy club mahindra membership..white studio...free air travel an food....worth 20000 and 2 yr rci.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very useful points....
    Thank you Bhupesh

    Regards,
    Rakesh

    ReplyDelete
  14. Well written and quite useful...thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. well written and quite useful...thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Guys
    Following are my understanding before you select CM is meant for you and ready to invest the money.
    1) Be clear about resort and hotel. (Find the difference first).
    2) Be clear about what is time share and your personality suits the same? E.g. time management.
    3) Be clear about your financials and understanding of the inflation.
    4) Be clear about your need of vacation and members joined during vacation.

    Please note CM is only and only make sense for you if
    1) You are a family man and like luxury.
    2) You are going for vacation minimum 2 times in 3 years for 10 days of trip.
    3) You are not greedy to see the complete state within 3 days. (e.g. Himarchal trip of 7 days and just running or travelling from one place to other continuously)
    4) You can plan well in advance minimum 3 months. (e.g. school going kids parents can plan well by going for vacation during the their holiday period only. )
    5) Understand the increase of inflation. Kerala trip in 2008 cost me Rs. 25000. Today the same itinerary cost me around Rs. 75000 for family of 2 adult and 2 kids for 7 days. This is power of inflation. What will be the price of same itinerary in year 2015 and 2020 god knows.
    6) CM resorts are luxury resorts and not small time lodge or 1 or 2 star small hotel / resort. So if you are a person who can compromise the stay in Rs. 1500 / night hotel during peak season, CM is not for you.
    7) If you are a person who would see that food bill does not increase more than Rs. 400 a day (3 meals), CM is not meant for you. In India you can get a meal in 20Rs. And 2000 Rs. Choice is yours. Luxury always comes with price.
    8) There was issue of resorts in past but not now. Many resorts are available now at various places and locations. Infect average utilization rate is 80% for 2012 and 2013. This info available on company’s website.
    9) You are particular about the crowd in swimming pool.

    If any of the point is coming NO request for big “NO” for enrollment as the person do not belong to time sharing concept and luxury resorts.

    Some Advice for purchasing (if you want)
    if you are family. (RED and PURPLE is the only season to choose)
    If your trip generally not dependent on kid’s school holidays (Minimum white)
    If you do not care of any season and free bird. (Elders only Blue season. Strict no to youngsters as they will have family if not today after few years and then they will have conflict of school holidays and CM seasons)
    People fall a trap when they do not see the things in black and white. E.g. a family of 2 + 2 school going kids cannot buy blue or white season as school will not have holidays during that season. And CM will not allow (generally) booking for upgraded season as that season members are already looking for vacation.
    People with family (school going kids) buying blue season is big blunder let it be cheaper price. Most of the guys fall in trap are of (blue or white season)



    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Anonymous, Thanks for your comment!

    I am not in agreement with your inflation argument. 200% inflation in 5 year is exaggerated. In this time of slowdown in economy we hardly had any inflation in last 5 year in hotel industry, may be just 5-6% per year. Just look at revenue growth of different Hotel chains, it has not grown in per room basis. By your argument the same itinerary would have costed only 8000/- in 2003 or it will cost 7.5 Lakh after 10 year in 2023.

    Never mind such membership only cover only 25-30% of your luxury vacation cost and part of membership is not inflation proof (remember ASF).

    Let' see total cost of luxuries 4 day trip matching Mahindra Holidays' so called standard for a family of four:

    Accommodation expenses (4 * 6000/-) = 24000/-
    Food Expenses (4 * 4 * 1200/-) = 19200/-
    Activity/sight seeing / (4 * 2500 ) = 10000/-
    Local travel/ tickets
    Air Travel and Taxi (4 * 8500 + 4 way taxi * 1250) = 39000/-

    Total Expense = 92200/-
    Accommodation Expense = ~26 % ( 24000/- )



    ReplyDelete
  18. This comment "5) Understand the increase of inflation. Kerala trip in 2008 cost me Rs. 25000. Today the same itinerary cost me around Rs. 75000 for family of 2 adult and 2 kids for 7 days." is totally incorrect and irresponsible. I think this person is comparing apples and oranges. Costs have not become 3 times in 5 years.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dude, thanks so much for posting this. There running a huge marketing drive right now on TV. I've always been turned off by Club Mahindra because of their spammy marketing efforts - entice people into parting with their mobile number at malls, and then call them incessantly! But apart from that I didn't have a concrete reason as to why I shouldn't sign up (the company vibe *makes* me look for reasons). You've now given me a great perspective. Thanks.

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  20. Thanks, Good to know you found it useful.

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  21. Thank you so much bhupesh. i was planing to buy a membership,any way thanks a lot for the advise.

    ReplyDelete
  22. i want to sall my week of 2014. white membership Studio. is any one intrested then call me on 9427216448 thanks

    ReplyDelete
  23. Bhupesh ji

    There is one bias in your blog. The cons you have explained well. You are silent on the pros of the CM (as per your outlook and not the company's). I would love to know the pros of CM in your view
    But
    thanks for all the information on the other side of the coin
    I am thinking of buying one
    now I will think harder before I do

    Regards
    Pradeep S

    ReplyDelete
  24. Pradeep ji, My understanding is that the person who is reading this blog has already been sold hard (positives) for this membership, and this has to be balanced out with some experienced facts. As you have also written ".. all the information on the other side of the coin"
    same was my intention.

    Ever you think of buying it, buy it in second sale only!

    Thanks for your appreciation!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Pradeep Ji,

    Actually in this post I have not really listed disadvantage but look at it as checklist .. so if membership get good score from you on this check list.. you can consider to buy it..

    In my view advantages of Club Mahindra would only start once you buy it at correct price, that is only possible in re-sale market. Compared to other Timeshare business, CM has more resort and it is growing and quality and service is more predictable.

    ReplyDelete
  26. This post is really useful. After reading this , I am not going for any club membership.

    ReplyDelete
  27. how we can cancel membership within 10 days. as i have purchased it today

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  28. as i have registered today with club mahindra. plz suggest me how i get my money back surely... I have registered through there business developer managers after watching their presentation.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Dear Charit,
    Do cancel it in 10 calender days, With a proof. Take acknowledgement of the letter also send a email to official mail ID. Which you can find at their Website.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I have registered today and how cancel and refund my money back. From where i can get acknowledgement of letter. What is the process of cancellation?

    ReplyDelete
  31. Want to Sell Mahindra Club Membership # 24 Years of Holidays Balance# White# Studio Apartment#Interested Buyers may contact at 8791017545

    ReplyDelete
  32. how to throw money..... if you want to learn just join club mahindra !!!hurrey up!!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Very much useful and valuable information.
    Appreciate for your time.
    I thought of not going.!!! Thanks a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  34. bhupesh sir how can reach you??...i want to talk regarding cm....

    ReplyDelete
  35. my email id is vashisth.tushar@yahoo.com...and my no is 9810083014

    ReplyDelete
  36. sir,someone is selling me red studio mmebership for 3.4lac.....he is giving me 19 weeks...and
    he has paid asf for 2016 as well....is the deal worth for me plz help....

    ReplyDelete
  37. I MADE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE IN MY LIFE BY JOINING CLUB MAHINDRA HOLIDAYS
    : MEMBERSHIP NO 2629053

    Friends,
    I am writing this to share my experience of club Mahindra holidays (CMH). I am a RED STUDIO MEMBER (second highest category) since may 2015. I have already paid Rs 4,73,500/- for the membership plus the annual subscription fee ( ASF ) of Rs 12569/- for the year 2015 ie ALMOST RUPEES FIVE LAKHS .

    Despite several attempts, I have never been able to avail a single day’s holiday from CMH till date due to the following reasons:
    • Club mahindra has never been able to give me a resort at the place of my choice. Reservation was never available whenever I wanted to go on a holiday, even though not in a peak season , despite my being a red season member (second highest category).
    • Even if I got a resort by some stroke of luck, I didn’t get the duration of my choice ( if I wanted 4 nights, only 2 nights were available).
    • Even at all I got a resort, the type of room available did not suit me ( I wanted studio apartment but CMH offered me a (smaller) hotel unit.

    Every time I was told that that I must do my booking 120 days in advance (which is a very difficult thing to do in my profession. The same must be the case with many members). This is an unreasonable condition. All the same, this time I was determined, so on 01 july 2016 ( the day booking was opened for the month of oct 2016), I tried to book two resorts of my choice ie virajpet ,coorg from 03-06 oct 2016 and at verka, goa from 07-10 oct 2016. However when I logged in at approximately 1PM, on the same day, I could not get confirmed bookings at both these resorts!!IMAGINE ON THE FIRST DAY OF BOOKING, BEING A RED STUDIO MEMBER, ONE IS UNABLE TO GET A RESORT OF ONE’S CHOICE – one can imagine the outcome if one tries to do a booking say 30 days in advance!! Apparently the bookings for these resorts were over within the first 3 hours of the booking window on the very 1st day!!So I had to be contended to book for resorts which were my second choice ie madekeri, coorg/ emerald palms, goa.

    I analyzed the whole issue very deliberately based on my experience with club Mahindra over the past one year, and came to the following conclusions:
    • These is A SERIOUS DEMAND AND SUPPLY MISMATCH – club Mahindra has kept on increasing its members without increasing resort capacity. Hence it is virtually impossible to avail a holiday at the PLACE/ TIME/ DURATION/ ACCOMMODATION OF ONE’S CHOICE, unless one plans 120 days in advance and logs in at 9.30 AM on first day when bookings are open or plans a holiday in absolute lean non tourist season ( Kashmir in peak winters, and goa during the monsoons)!!
    • Some resorts are very small (eg Baiguney,Sikkim, which has hardly 20 rooms).some are leased properties which are actually hotels but CMH calls them resorts – eg gangtok, sikkim/ Bangkok, thailand.
    • CMH is a big hoax with a colorful website making tall promises and several conditions cleverly hidden in fine print – bulk of them favoring CMH and not the customer.
    • By the time one understands the game, its too late to exit as the terms of exiting the membership are heavily in favour of CMH.
    • It is better to put the amount invested in CMH in a fixed deposit and utilize the interest for availing a holiday every year at the time/place/duration/ resort or hotel of one’s choice – today there are no dearth of hotels/ resorts in our country or abroad with neumerous booking portals offering fabulous choices and flexible options.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for leaving your detailed experience, it will help my blog readers.

      Delete
  38. Haha, club mahindra cheat and dumb people. You have enough travel websites-Trip advisor, Makemytrip, airbnb to get the best deals (even at the last minute) to the choice of destination with wide range of hotels/resorts. Then why would one even go for this plan, as these kind of plans are quite popular among riches 10 yr before, and now club mahindra or sterling holidays are trying their luck with middle class/upper middle class people and still you guys are trapped for it. I warn you guys.

    ReplyDelete
  39. They are cheater & want to sell membership only. They offered me some gift coupans, when i tried to book accomadation then i always found NOT AVAILABLE. After 3 months continous efforts, i told them to give date as per your convenience but they refused. They said, give me your date only. And when i give any date, they said its already booked. It was case of mental harrasment, finally i left idea to join.

    ReplyDelete
  40. this blog was really helpful for knowing about club mahindra holidays. thanks a lot all of u.

    ReplyDelete
  41. ANYONE WANT TO SELL MEMBERSHIP PLZ CALL 9413758341 AJAY JALAN



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. anyone want to buy ClubMahindra Studio. No holiday taken. Please mail RAJNISH.LUCKY@GMAIL.COM

      Delete
    2. Thank your my dear friend Bhupesh for giving such a useful information regarding the CM membership. After this I definitely, will not commit the mistake to get the membership.

      Once again thank

      Delete
    3. Thank your my dear friend Bhupesh for giving such a useful information regarding the CM membership. After this I definitely, will not commit the mistake to get the membership.

      Once again thank

      Delete
    4. Good to know that you found it useful.

      Delete
  42. Anyone want to sell membership can call at 9557642505.
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  43. Will to buy Red Studio. Please reach me @ srk.it38@gmail.com for any offers.

    ReplyDelete
  44. i want to sales White Studio, No holiday availed yet, only paid 1lakh balance you have to pay. contact +96895736839 (whatsapp & IMO) mail id: rajnish.lucky@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  45. I am planning to be a member tomorrow
    But now confused plz guide me urgently.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. first thing, 1) Do not rush 2) If still find worth look for second sale.

      Delete
  46. kaise complaint kru kha jau.koi sunwai ni h

    ReplyDelete