Sunday, August 31, 2014

Time sharing time is out - Sayonara Premium Holiday

A word of caution - It's only my humble opinion..

Several years back (15 ++ years back) time sharing travel option really hit the big time where you'll get numerous calls saying "attend our preview and you're entitled for one night stay at so and so - we're not selling anything, just listen to us and tadaa..you get one night stay at your dream hotel and place..." something like that tele-marketing gimmick over the phone. Yeah you were enticed to come over with the FREE accommodation in mind..And once you were there, they'll insist or simply forced you to accept one of their time sharing packages. Generally the time sharing package allowed you to;

- utilize 7 nights FREE accommodation at any of their listed hotels/resorts which include their affiliate both local and overseas
- exchange your entitlement with your guests
- postpone or utilize your entitlements in advance 
- enjoy the facilities provided by the hotel/resort for FREE

Despite the word FREE, of course you have to buy the package in advance - 15k, 20k, 30k or even higher depending on the package offered. And of course too we were easily drawn into accepting the offer, not by the tele-marketeer but we happened to drop by at their booth while we were "dating"at Subang Parade" hahahahaha

That was in 1996 and it's called Premium Holiday (premium la sangatttttt). Without much effort (from the sales lady) we hurriedly accepted the offer for the 15k package. The hotels/resort includes Bayu Beach Resort Port Dickson, Green Hill Resort Cameron Highland, Mar Vista Penang, Amber Court Genting, University Tower PJ and i-forget-the hotel-name in Langkawi, Melaka, Florida and UK (forgotten the name coz never had the chance to go there in 17 years - the properties were 'sold' by Premium Holiday too much earlier than expected). 

After almost 17 years of satisfactorily service, this year we do not hear from Premium Holiday anymore (they used to send reminder of yearly service charges before the membership due date on 24th April) nor can we hear them over the phone or replying the email. Where have they been? Hiding? Missing? Or the company already bungkus?

So we assumed Premium Holiday and our free 7 nights stay mostly at Bayu Beach Resort (2 rooms apartment) has come to an end after 17 years..

It is around 119 nights of accommodation to be exact but we still have about 12 nights under utilized so below is the equation of the total nights utilized for our so called premium holidays for the past 16 years;
107 x RM320 (average price/night for 2 room apartment on weekdays)
Total = RM 34,240 (for the 15k package)

Now back to current situation - Does anyone need time sharing vacation now? Why should we restrict ourselves to certain hotels and resorts? And why would we need 7 days only? And most importantly why do we have to pay so much money in advance for the next 20 or 30 years vacation? 

Nowadays we're more bound to many online promotions and availability of cheap homestay (for families) to move around and plan our vacations. As for us we rely much on Agoda where we also can plan a year ahead vacation without having to pay the accommodation in advance - how nice if Air Asia has this facility too...dream on guys :)

So time sharing time is out, what left for us are the memories of time shared with the families and the loved ones through our time sharing vacation club Premium Holidays..

Sayonara Premuim Holidays ...

Bayu Beach Resort Port Dickson
Bayu Beach Resort - pix courtesy from Trip Advisor



Sayyasuka