WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

In a case of someone buying the wrong mailing list and contacting me, last Friday, I received an ad piece from “Quintess – The Leading Residences of the World.” This is a Time Share with a difference - a big difference from any I have ever seen before. When I was in seminary, Vicki and the boys and I went to hear a sales pitch in French Lick, Indiana. It was a standard package; two weeks in beautiful downtown French Lick in a hotel yet to be built with a bowling alley in it.

This company has properties in such places as London, Florence, Paris, Jackson Hole, Napa Valley, Los Cabos, and Maui. It claims that its properties are worth more than $4 million each. Further, the company provides 5-star service at each property.

Vicki and I popped the DVD that had been sent in and marveled. The screen was filled with images of white sandy beaches, massive and luxurious buildings, top flight chefs, expensive wine, and luxurious beds. In addition, this company has made arrangements with other companies near its properties so that the guests, for instance, could be given the keys to a top-end sports car to take a spin.

The DVD, of course, does not give any cost for such opulence. So, I went to the website. There were several “packages” available. The cheapest one required a $240,000 membership deposit - that is upfront, though it is refundable in the first year if you don't like it - with an annual fee of $18,750 - that is every year - to have 20 nights available at these fabulous places. For the top package, somebody would have to pay a membership fee of $850,000 and $66,500 per year. This would permit 75 nights in these great places.

Throughout each scene, the calm, persuasive voice talked about what a great value this is. It was a, "How can you put a price on such an opportunity to have pampered fun with your family and friends."

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!?! Besides the fact that I am way too frugal, or cheap, to pay this much if I had the money, I could not even pay the annual fee for the “cheap” package. I guess some people have ponied up the money; Quintess says they have a 6:1 member to property ratio, which would translate to around 200 members. But, why would these people expend this much in such a conspicuous consumption?

As I gathered the facts about this company and their offering, I wondered whether these people who are the privileged members of Quintess donate as much money to charitable groups that provide medicine to children in Africa to stop diarrhea or measles or provide food to the hungry or education to Afghan children as they do to enjoy the finest service at top shelf resorts.

I have to wonder, “What were they thinking?”