Suman Motels enters timeshare business

Suman Motels Ltd has made an entry into the timeshare business with its Lazy Days vacation ownership scheme. The differentiating factor SML offers is a money-back guarantee after 15 years and a larger choice of resorts, 29 of which are owned by the company. The money-back facility is given upfront in the form of fixed deposit receipts from a nationalised bank.

Suman Motels has been in the business of resorts and clubs for a number of years and has only now made its entry into the timeshare business. K. Venkatesh, deputy general manager, Suman Motels, attributes this late entry to a concentration on putting in place the infrastructure, including resorts. "While other companies busied themselves selling timeshare, we focused on getting our resorts in place." Thus, the company is in a position to offer a larger choice of resorts to choose from. The larger choice also aids easier exchange of resorts to the timeshare owners.

Lazy Days timeshare has been classified into Grand and Mini, of six nights-seven days, and three nights-four days, respectively. The Grand vacations are located at hill stations, including Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Masoorie, Kodaikanal and Munnar. Both timeshare classifications are further classified as per the time of the year opted for. Thus Grand is offered in choices of Prime Time, High Time and Privacy, while Mini vacations are offered as Weekenders and Relaxers – during weekends or at the beginning of the week. The prices range from Rs 15,000 to Rs 88,000, depending on the type of timeshare availed of. Suman Motels’ resorts have 3-star status.

The company also offers other facilities to its members, such as highway emergency services, tours and taxi services and memberships to clubs that offer clay pigeon shooting, flying and other such activities. The Lazy Days vacations can also be split into smaller units, carried forward, exchanged, and even transferred and gifted.