New Discount Card From Polaris

Hi All,

Contacted Polaris customer services today.  They said unfortunately some lines have been omitted from the contract.  Here then are those missing lines in their appropiate places, regarding the discount cards.

Free night in intercontinental hotel...... when Haley's comet is visible to the naked eye in the sky.

Including free breakfast..................50 euro's if you want to eat in.  12.5 Euro's each if you wish to use a knife and fork. (only our knives and forks can be used in our hotels).

Free round of golf for two.............only at Condado and must be taken before November.

2 for 1 on the meals............. Only if the waiter considers she is very very pretty (Some of you blokes are going to get in trouble here).  Or it looks like something Scapa dragged in off the street.   I could still look a scruff in an Armarni Suit if you're desperate for 50% off. (Replies are optional here).

10% off all drinks............... except when taken with the 2 for 1 offer on the meals.  Then we charge you 45% extra to get some back.

5% off supermarket purchases........... Only at the Oasis town centre not Foro.

The card shall last 12 months or...... When all purchases have made half your 140 euro's back........ we will then supercede your personal discount card with V3 and charge you much much more than V2.

After paying all that money for my property they should be free as we were originally told.  Why is it that THEY delayed my completion date by several months, then expect me to pay for something OTHERS are getting for free.  Yet in a lot of cases I placed my first and second deposits with Polaris 12 - 18 months before some who received their's for free (Dec 2006).  Polaris should be treating ALL their customers EQUALLY.

A long time ago a fella bought an off plan property in Spain.  They absoloutely messed him about, constantly moving the goalposts etc.  I think Sir Francis Drake may have gone over the top but I could understand his anger.

For those who have not caught on yet............ only kidding about contacting Polaris customer services.

frank

are you on nights or is the excitement of getting your well described PW discount card keeping you awake

got my card in post to notts where i live gonna try this weekend

Jakey,

Which card have you got the free one or the 125 Euro card? I am flying out tomorrow, to try out my card.

Lates this week

Hi All

Well out of interest I have been looking at the company behind this new discount card as they say they are an independent company from PW and have been brought in to administer the new card for PW. The parent company is a company called HMC (Hospitality Marketing Concepts), they have been established 21 years and work with some of the big hotel names in the world. They seam to work with individual hotels rather than the whole chain but some of the names on their world list include: some Hilton locations, some Marriott locations, some Sheraton locations, some Shangri-La locations and of course some Intercontinental location to name but a few. So the client list is impressive. HMC established clubhotels.com in 1977 as a global network of four and five-star hotels, providing common benefits to a worldwide membership. As I understand it basically you join a local club programs in our case Polaris World Discount Card for a annual fee and you gain the benefits as previously described in this thread by Darren but you also become a member of the world program which also gives you discounted dining and room rates at other participating hotels. So on the face of it it look worth considering but be aware some of the discounts aren’t as good as they may sound for example hotel discount are based on the Rac rate and not best or promotional rates which can be significantly different in that it may well be cheaper to book independently rather than use the card. As far as the offers for the PW card is concerned its benefits are significantly better than those offered with the now old free card, my only reservation is if PW decide to withdrew or reduce any of the benefits, as far as I can establish there is nothing to stop them from doing this, you would just have to decide if you think the benefits you will gain now will make the expenditure worth it. So I don’t end this with a recommendation as you will have to decide for yourself but I do think it is worth considering as if it stays in operation it will make eating at PW Restaurants more reasonable, note I don’t say cheap.

Phil

Hi Phil, Thanks for that,

What I don't understand is, why do we have to buy another "discount card" in the first place?  Surely it would be better for us and for PW if they just reduced the prices of the meals by 25%  and drinks by 50cents and still use the free card for another 10% off drinks. If they can afford to give all those reductions to people who buy the card, which is apparently nothing to do with them, then they can afford to reduce prices, in the first place???  So it's a no win situation for us, and a nice healthy bank balance for PW and the card issuer?

Hi,

Is the 125euros a one off fee or is it an annual payment?

Thanks,

Steve.

Hi June & Martyn

You make a fair point however the new card issuers (hotelclub.com) representative says that by doing things in the way they are, those of us that buy the card and become a member will benefit by substantial discount and the company PW will benefit by us becoming brand loyal in so far as having paid for the card we will use it more often to make the outlay worthwhile and also as we have paid for the card we are more likely to use PW outlets in preference to others. Consequently we spend more in PW outlets so making the discount also worthwhile to PW, remember profit on food is massive especially at PW prices. They also tell me that by us owners having the card and using PW outlets makes them look popular so other people tend to use the same outlets also so those staying on resort will see people in the restaurants and bars so will also use them but without any discount. The money we pay for the card goes to the card company I think, to pay for them administering the system, and if I understand it correctly this card is operated like most other loyalty cards in that they collect information on how and where we use the card within PW and also if we use our membership in other locations and feed this information back to PW so they can decide strategies for the future.

Hi Steve

The fee is an annual fee

Phil

Bloody hell.  Have been holding off getting my "old" discount card until GC and other facilities were open (due to 3 mth timespan on vouchers).  Gutted if they are no longer issuing these!

This new card - seems another way to make more money on PW part to me.  Here's a question - if I buy one (unlikely), each time you use it, do you have to show a passport or drivers licence to validate that I am the card holder?  What is to stop me passing my card to family members who will use my apartment other times of year? As long as they pay any bill with cash to avoid embarrassing situation of credit card having a different name, then is there no way to confirm who the cardholder is, other than a passport or drivers licence?  Or does the discount card have a photo on it?

I am most interested in golf discount (not just a one off round discount).  If it offers nothing better than our owners rates, then it wont really work for me.

Heres another one - myself and wife go for dinner and take along our 3 kids.  Order for only two of us, but we each fancy a kids meal as a "side dish" for ourselves.  Because only two are dining, do we get 50% discount as opposed to 20% if all 5 were officially dining?  Obviously being extreme here, but it a scheme with flaws.  Anyway, at PW prices, our family only typically eat out once a week.  Just got back from 10 days, and only went in Surgery for drinks and meal once.  Just as happy to sit on patio with a crate of San Miguel and a bottle of vin rouge, and all for a fraction of the cost of the Surgery!  Will be even better when there are a few other faces around the Jardines to chat and socialise with.  Over last 10 days, I think there were no more than 5 or 6 apartments on Jardine 5 with anyone in.  Either that, or people werent coming outside at all.  At least I didnt have to worry about the kids creating too much noise as no-one to disturb.

Foz

I purchased the "New" discount card last week and have been out in Murcia this weekend to give it a try! I must say I am impressed!

The card has not arrived yet, just had the confirmation email confirming my card was in the post. Used the card in the Surgery on Thu and received a 10% discount with no problems. Went to the new restaurant at Mar Menor (Hiroko,if thats how its spelt?) and my meal was free. Total cost of 2 starters, 2 mains, and 1 round of drinks was 37 Euro.

Went to LaTorre on Monday and ate at the Italian, again no problem accepting the email confirmation I printed off. The meal was just 23 Euro for 2 Pasta, 2 Sweets and 1 round!

As for others using the card, I cant see how they would know. You do have to sign, so if your friends want to practice your signature then you should be ok. They do ask for your passport number when you apply, but no restaurant/bar asked for any id from me.

I am gonig to lend the card to my dad so he can try the discount, the only problem I can forsee is if they have access to the card holders date of birth, not sure my dad will pass as a 35 year old?

Hi Darren

Thanks for that info. 

I don't think 125 euros is too bad if you are a person that is going to use the resturants and bars and definately a night in the new intercontinental hotel at Le Torres, plus a beginners game of golf!

I think though I might hang on until the Foro is up and running in full swing! 

Hi Darren

Could you let us know who you contact with regards to purchasing card please.

Lesley&Sandy

Hi

Their phone number is Spain (0034) 968 220 551. Ask for Erica Hayward, she is an American so speaks English perfectly (well American) She only works in the morning though, so worth a call tomorrow!

If you want to join I would wait till the day before you are due to travel, because they email your confirmation straight away, you can then print it off and use it. No point in having a valid card if you are stuck in the UK.

Hi,

Am I right in thinking that it is a 10% discount against all food and drink in all Polaris resorts?

Is there a full list available via their website of all discounts that are available?

Mark, its a new card, you can read all the detail if you key down on this thread.

was out last week used the old card an saved 10% on beer in bar but asked about one for my mate the joint owner an christina said not bein issued but new cards at 150 euros were but my old card lasts till 1st jan 2010

Whats the average price for a pint of lager down in the port at Mazarron compared to Polaris?

2.50 Euro at a restaurant on the front overlooking the sea! Prices are reasonable... Taxi home...Cha Ching!

Oh Surgery was 3.50 for a pint... However a vodka and coke was 2 euro for the coke then 4 euro for the shot! Made her drink wine after that!