Please do not make mistake of taking membership. Review on Club Mahindra

I have re-written my earlier comment, as It was sounding as if someone who has not got reservation once is recommending against membership. Now I got the reservation (atleast 2 nights, instead of 3 which I was planning), but even then I will suggest against taking membership for the following reasons:

1) You should take membership only if you are fine in travelling during off-peak season and locations that are not very popular. Eg. I could not get any confirmed reservation for Goa, Pondicherry, Shimla, Ashtamudi (got once because I booked on the first day the booking open, but then had to cancelled. Could not get different date), Manali etc.

2) You do not mind planning six months in advance and ready to make booking on the first day the booking open. Because even if you are trying to book five months in advance the chances are that you will not get your preferred resort if its falling during kid’s holiday season

3) There is literally no exit route from the membership. I have paid approximately 330K for taking membership of red season and I was informed by Club Mahindra that I will get only 80K (see below for the detailed computation I have received from club mahindra)

To be fair to Club Mahindra, they have resorts at excellent locations and all are maintained well. customtakeouter service is pretty reasonable. But the problem is they are trying to sell more membership than they have room inventory at present. Some of the steps which they should take to make room reservation more transparent is:

Make online room reservation more transparent and efficient. Currently I find that by default rooms appeared to be full on either Friday/Sat or Sat/Sun for most of the weekends. There should be facility online to check total rooms available, rooms booked and the waiting list number. Then It will be more clear to members when they are not able to get the room, is it only because of peak demand during particular period for particular resorts, or is it because Club Mahindra wants to keep some room inventory reserved for spot sale or they have oversold the membership.

Till then the best way to enjoy Club Mahindra resorts is by way of direct booking rather than by taking membership.

Extract of the reply on cancellation charges for membership card:

== ==

The cancellation charges are as under:

Cost of Membership (Product Price)                                 Rs 367788

Amount paid till date (5% discount on full payment)                 Rs 331010

AF (Admission Fee is 60% of membership fee                   Rs 220673

        Which is non-refundable)                                                

40% which member is entitled to                                         Rs 147115

Deductions:

Food Vouchers                                                                           Rs 5000

Pro rata (40% of cost of membership/25 Years  * 1 Years)  Rs 5296

3 Nights @ Club Mahindra   (special offer)                              Rs 3000

2 week international holiday through RCI(Rs.6000 per week)

                                                                                                      Rs 12000

Sony Bravia LCD TV 32"                                                           Rs 22500

5 % discount on full payment                                                     Rs.18389

Total Deductions                                                                      Rs 66185

Hence amount to be refunded     = 147115 - 66185

                                                            = Rs.80930