Home / Membership vs timeshare
Straight answersHoliday membership vs timeshare
Many South African families love the idea of a beach holiday every year, but not the lifetime contracts, levies and points that often come with timeshare and holiday clubs. Here's how Coastal Preferred Escapes is different.
| Coastal Preferred Escapes | Traditional timeshare and points clubs | |
|---|---|---|
| How long | Five years, then it ends | Often long-term or open-ended contracts |
| What you buy | Five holiday weeks. Nothing to own. | A share, a week or points in a scheme |
| Yearly costs | One fixed monthly instalment; no levies, no interest, no joining fee | Often annual levies that can rise each year |
| Price | Published in full: R1,070–R1,410 a month, R64,200–R84,600 over five years | Varies by scheme, points and season |
| Where | One place you get to know: Cabana Mio, Amanzimtoti | A portfolio of resorts, often booked with points |
| At the end | Nothing to sell, nothing to cancel | Often something to resell or exit |
General comparison only. Every timeshare and club is different, so always read the full terms of any scheme you compare.
It depends on how your family holidays.
A membership suits families who already take a beach holiday most years and would rather spread the cost into a fixed monthly amount than find a lump sum every year. It suits you less if you want a different destination each year, or only travel over Christmas and New Year, which are excluded.
- Work out what a week for your family costs now, and compare it with the five-year total of the package you'd choose
- Check that the weeks your package can book suit your family's calendar
- Read the membership agreement before you sign
Six questions to ask about any holiday plan.
Whether you are looking at us, a timeshare resale or a points club, the same questions show you what you are really committing to. Ask for the answers in writing.
- What is the total I will pay, over the whole contract? Not only the monthly amount: every instalment, fee and levy added together.
- Can any of the costs go up? Levies, booking fees and exchange fees often rise every year.
- When does it end, and how do I leave? Some contracts run for decades or pass to your heirs.
- Which weeks can I actually book, and how far ahead? Ask to see the calendar, not only the brochure.
- What do I own at the end? If the answer is "something to sell", ask how easy it is to sell.
- Who runs it, and where? A registered company name, a physical address and a person you can phone.
Our answers, in one place
- Total: R64,200 (Blue), R73,500 (White) or R84,600 (Red), paid as 60 equal monthly instalments, or less if you pay upfront
- No levies, no interest, no joining fee: the monthly amount stays the same
- Five years, then it ends. Nothing to sell, nothing passes on
- Every week's colour is on the holiday calendar; bookings are subject to availability and confirmed in writing
- Run by Cabana Mio Accommodation Management Company (Pty) Ltd (reg. 2022/755624/07), 159 Beach Road, Amanzimtoti
Our membership agreement summary is on the agreement page. Read it before you apply.
More for families weighing it up
Your family's first seaside holiday · Planning around school holidays · When should your family come? · All family guides
Membership or timeshare?
Is Coastal Preferred Escapes a timeshare?
No. You don't buy or own anything. You pay a fixed monthly amount for five holiday weeks over five years. There are no levies and nothing to resell.
Are there levies?
No. The published membership price includes your holiday entitlement, with no additional accommodation or membership fees.
Can I sell my membership?
No. Memberships are for your family and named beneficiaries, and may not be resold, rented out or brokered commercially.
What happens after five years?
Your membership ends after its five-year term. There's nothing to sell and nothing to keep paying.