When is a luxury family resort not a hotel? When it’s a vacation club. STEPHANIE YEO finds out more.
When is a luxury family resort not a hotel? When it’s a vacation club. STEPHANIE YEO finds out more.
Stepping out of the searing March heat into the cool confines of our two-bedroom villa in Phuket was bliss. Then we saw it through the gauzy day curtains – our very own private pool.
Before we could even unpack, the kids were splashing in it, and would hardly ever want to come out. The accommodation was certainly generously spaced, with huge bedrooms, a large master bathtub and even an outdoor shower.
The sofa in the living space could convert to two extra beds, and the kitchen had all the mod cons, from a good-sized fridge to a washing machine and hob.
Beside the pool was a Thai sala, or pavilion, where you could laze the day away. We enjoyed a sumptuous barbeque feast on our wooden deck as the sun set – talk about being pampered!
The experience felt no different from my previous stay at the five-star Anantara resort in Chiang Mai; it had the same quality finishings, the same luxe touches, the same warm Thai hospitality.
But this wasn’t a hotel – the Anantara Vacation Club Mai Khao Phuket is the showpiece of the brand’s vacation club concept.
RISE OF VACATION CLUBS
The latest evolution of timeshare companies, vacation clubs work on a point system rather than selling specific units in a resort. Your investment earns you a certain number of points, which you can use to offset stays.
Major hotel brands have jumped onto this bandwagon – Holiday Inn, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, the Starwood group, and even Disney, all have such clubs.
Anantara is a fairly new player, having started its club in 2010, but it already has Club Resorts in eight destinations from Bali to Queenstown, New Zealand, with more in the pipeline. recipes join the club.
It’s owned by Minor International, a public-listed company that operates over 130 hotels and resorts, as well as well-known food-andbeverage and retail brands.
The Anantara Vacation Club’s (AVC) unique selling point: It is primarily a villa product and a luxury, branded experience, says Melanie Smith, vice-president of Club Operations.
She adds that its luxury suites and villas span 66 sq m to 460 sq m, which is two to 15 times bigger than the standard 30 sq m hotel room. It also offers plenty of recreational ideas, from its signature Spice Spoons Cooking Class to kids’ clubs, free bicycle rental and other local activities.
On Tripadvisor.com, the Phuket vacation club resort rates at 4.5 out of five stars and is seventh out of 11 hotels in the area, although it’s not clear how many of the reviews are from owners (interestingly, the Anantara Mai Kho Phuket Villas – under the hotel brand – just across the road is rated No. 1).
AVC owners can also trade points for stays at almost 8,000 hotels and resorts owned by Minor International and its partners.
Naturally, luxury does not come cheap: Ownership fees range from US$15,500 (S$21,391) to $140,000, depending on the level, although it does offer interestfree instalment plans. There are also annual fees of $375 to $5,750, which are subject to change.
But in an age of Airbnb, which is disrupting traditional – and expensive – hotel stays, why would you even consider a vacation club?
To “lock in your future holiday costs at today’s values” and protect yourself against holiday rental inflation, Melanie explains. For instance, seven nights’ accommodation at US$100 a night translates to US$36,750 after 25 years (including 10 per cent room tax and assuming five per cent inflation).
Its Club Resorts are held by an independent trustee to protect owners. About 40 per cent of its owners are from China, with Singapore residents making up some 10 per cent.
Vacation clubs tend to suit people who like staying in the same destination at the same time every year, and who travel in big groups. But do your research before you commit. After all, you’re paying for peace of mind, not to give someone a piece of your mind.
Visit www.anantaravacationclub.com for more information.
Before You Sign
The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) says complaints about timeshares fell from 869 in 2014, to 536 last year. The tally for the first four months of this year was 111.
Most involve consumers requesting to cancel their agreement with the company and get a refund, says Seah Seng Choon Case’s executive director. His advice:
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, you are entitled to a fiveday cooling-off period for timeshare contracts signed after April 15, 2009. The five days exclude Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.
You should receive a Consumer Information Notice (which explains the procedures for cancellation) and a Product Information Notice (PIN) that explains the terms of the contract and the obligations of the consumer clearly in a single document. Timeshare companies are also not allowed to collect any deposit or sign any agreement for payment during the five-day cooling-off period.
UNDERSTAND THE PROCEDURES
If you wish to terminate the timeshare within the cooling-off period, you should complete the Notice of Cancellation and send it back to the company by post, fax or hand delivery, preferably by registered post, to ensure proof of postage.
EXERCISE CAUTION
Be wary of companies that
• are unable to verify claims, or provide proof of prospective clients for your timeshare membership
• request that you upgrade membership to facilitate chances of success, but are unable to provide substantiation • employ pressure sales tactics
• do not have a refund policy
• are registered overseas. It is difficult to make a claim against a foreign company.
Consumer laws in other countries may differ from Singapore and, more often than not, a lot of time and money is spent following up on the foreign lawsuit.
If you can’t resolve a dispute, call Case on 61000315 or visit www.case.org.sg. The Federal Trade Commission, which is the US’ consumer protection government agency, also has a useful article at http://tinyurl.com/VacationClubs.
