Dear friends, I am writing this review so that any person should be aware of the calculations behind ACTUAL per night cost he/she will incurr with Club Mahindra membership. I am choosing Club Mahindra as they can be termed as known name than other companies in this timeshare field, in India.
Take Red season( the highest charging and peakest of all). Club Mahindra time share for it costs Rs. 2, 50, 000 for 1 studio apt.
Remember that your Rs. 2, 50, 000 will not be returned to you after 25 years.
Now,
take 9% interest on nationalized bank deposits= Rs. 22, 500 / year
Annual Maintenance charge= Rs. 7, 500( current charges which will not be same for next 25 years as it has increased during previous years to reach current price. So, it's not "inflation free holidays" as misguided by this timeshare industry.)
i.e. Rs. 30, 000 for 7 nights stay. i.e. Rs. 4, 285 per night stay.
Now, as you WILL NOT get your Rs.2.5 lac at the end of 25 years; take per year loss of Rs. 10, 000( Rs. 2, 50, 000 / 25 years) that you paid 25 years before; then add Rs. 10, 000 / 7 nights= Rs. 1428 / night in above per night cost of Rs. 4285= Rs. 5, 713 / Night cost .( Note: If you keep Rs. 2.5 lac in your bank as per above point 1, then you retain that principal amount after 25 years. So, this loss of Rs. 2.5 lac should also be accounted in calculating per night cost)
So, actually you are paying Rs. 5713 / Night for your ROOM only in Club Mahindra( own or tie-up resort / hotels) . Air / train, Food, Transportation costs are not considered here except ROOM COST PER NIGHT.
Now, other cost - RCI membership cost. Remember that if you want to go to that Indian or Foreign location where CM is not having it's own hotel then you have to pay RCI - charges
1) RCI - Membership charges are Rs. 17, 000 for 10 years. RCI has 3 year membership also, but it's per year cost will work out much more, so it's not mentioned here. And, I am not adding this cost of RCI membership. i.e. Rs. 1700 / year in my calculation.
2) If you want to go to some other good place where Club mahindra is not having it's resort( or internal tie up) then you have to pay Rs. 9, 000 / week for RCI India charges. So, per night cost in RCI India hotel will increase by Rs. 1, 285. - i.e. **Rs. 7, 000 / Night for Non-Club Mahindra RCI India location.
3) Same way, current RCI - Non Asia resort charges are revised to Rs. 14, 000/- per week and RCI - Asia resort charge is around Rs. 11 - 12, 000 / week. So, per night cost in RCI - Non Asia hotel will increase by Rs. 2, 000 - i.e. Rs. 7, 713 / Night for RCI - Non-Asia location and Rs. 7, 284 - 7, 427 / Night for RCI - Asia location( i.e. for your Singapore, Malaysia or Thai beach holidays of Phuket or Krabi or Bali in Indonesia)
Now, REALITY.
At Rs. 5713/ N, one can get same CM hotel or better one at the same place in peak season( mid or off season charges are around half) Club Mahindra's Ooty hotel price for coming Diwali week is Rs. 3, 300 for non-members( found from some travel website). So, when same CM resort is available for much less price during peak Diwali time with confirmed booking; then why should one go with such expensive per night timeshare?
Remember that per night charges in SE Asia for similar 3* - 4* property is very lower than this( Rs. 1500 - Rs. 3, 500 with breakfast - check asiarooms.com or sawadee.com or wotif.com or latestays.com or agoda.com or any others! And, remeber, all travel websites will have different rates for same resort for same days! So, choose wisely. Also, Club Mahindra's all properties are not 4* like Goa & Munnar Else are not Club Mahindra's own property & are associate properties - like Auli, Mussorie, Kodaikanal etc. which are just a decent stay option and can not be compared with CM's Goa or Munnar. So, remember that all CM hotels are not very high rated 4* one. So, you can book hotels from various travel websites looking more option in similar grade but with much less effective rate). Even, Europe is much lower or equal for 3 star hotels( Rs. 3, 500 - Rs. 6, 000 in Interlaken, Switzerland in April-May). Check different travel websites yourself.
So, why INDIRECTLYpay Rs. 5713 / N as staying charge in Club Mahindra hotel when you can book for similar star hotel for less and that too with confirmed booking?
I have written this main review so that people should be aware about actual per night cost with Club Mahindra or other. Remember that Club Mahindra hotels are NOT 5* hotels. Munnar, Goa are 4, but others are just 3 or less.
Also, other main disadvantage is that - advance booking time is quiet high & customer care lines are always busy. So, booking process calls for patience in you. The current situation is that even Red membership customers' are facing problems in getting rooms in Red season inspite of booking 3 to 6 months in advance. Read such complains on MouthShut by Club Mahindra members.
Also, you can split your week in 3 & 4 Nights only. If you want to stay at some place for 1N, 2 N, 5 N or 6 N then you loose remaining nights from 3 or 4 or 7 N.
Be free bird to enjoy all benefits that come by. Any more suggestions are welcome.
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Note:
1) RCI charges are recently increased to above mentioned charges and it will definitely increase in 25 years like Annual Maintenance charges of Club Mahindra. So, it's not " Inflation Free Holiday " after all.
2) You are paying Rs. 7, 500 / week as maintenance charges. i.e. Club Mahindra is charging Rs. 7, 500 / week x 52 weeks= Rs. 3, 90, 000 i.e. 4 lakh PER YEAR for upkeep / maintenance of Studio Apt! In that amount one can fully renovate studio apt. every year!
*3) Then, one can think of how much Club Mahindra is asking as Principal membership amount which will be more than Rs. 70 lac when multiplied with 52 weeks! In this amount one can get a One Bed Room flat in Juhu / Bandra area or same studio apt. of around 250 sq. ft. at Malabar Hill of Mumbai whose property rates are the highest in entire India!
*It's utterly useless to think that you are getting some bargain from Club Mahindra membership! INFACT, YOU ARE BEING FOOLED BY THEM.
It's told that Club Mahindra is for those who like to take regulr holidays. I regulrly take yearly holidays and fully understand that Club Mahindra membership just provides stay & do not cover my air / train fare, car rentals, food bills . I fully understand that Club Mahindra membership do not offer any tour package which is inclusive of all holidays cost.
