To make destination club membership more flexible and more affordable, a number of clubs are now offering group and corporate plans as well as informal ways to share your nights with others. Helium Report takes a look at some of the current offerings to help you find the best fit.

Household Names

Big destination club players Quintess, Lusso Collection and Private Escapes all have corporate and group options open to their members, with Quintess standing out for its custom-tailored plans. Lusso and Private Escapes offer several standard packages to accommodate the varying needs of their members.

Lusso Collection’s options include a group plan and a corporate membership plan, both with a deposit of $493,750 and annual dues of $35,000 for 56 nights. The group plan allows for four standard and two advance reservations at any given time, and two gift weeks per year. Corporate membership allows six standard reservations, eight gift weeks and no advance reservations. Group memberships are limited to no more than 10 percent of total membership (which translates to a maximum of 50 shared memberships) to maintain adequate property availability. Lusso will raise its membership prices on March 1.

Private Escapes model features three clubs, Premiere, Platinum and Pinnacle, all of which offer the option of selecting corporate or extended family membership. The tiered structure allows members to choose a price point depending on those features that are most important to them. The membership fees are $107,500, $215,000 and $325,000 respectively, with annual dues of $8,700, $12,500 and $22,000. Each plan includes 40 nights with 7 reciprocal nights. Nightly fees and refundability vary depending on the selected tier of membership. Last year, Private Escapes announced that it was merging with Ultimate Resort. The new club, Ultimate Escapes, will feature a host of new plans and will likely launch in March.

Specialty Markets

The Markers is a golf residence club that offers a limited number of corporate memberships that can be used by clients, employees and suppliers of the primary members. Clubs like this one appeal to those whose travel needs revolve around landing in very specific locations at equally specific times of year. After all, Scottsdale isn’t an appealing golf destination in the height of summer. The Markers corporate plans offer up to 56 nights per year, with 21 nights available for advance reservation and membership deposits starting at $285,000. Annual dues are $16,500.

For the European market, Ireland-based destination club The Oyster Circle is conveniently close to home, and offers a corporate plan which allows usage by up to five specified users from a given organization. This option includes 35 nights for a €400,000 (just under $600,000) membership fee and annual dues of €32,500 (about $45,000). Distinctive Holiday Homes, which also has a European presence with offices in the U.K. and France, as well as an office located in up and coming tourist favorite New Zealand, offers a plan that includes 35 nights and five advance reservations per year. The cost is $250,000 up front, and $35,000 yearly.

Surprising Values

Another club with corporate plan options is Banyan Tree Private Collection, which offers two weeks of usage in its two-bedroom villas. Transportation, vacation planning services, discounts to local attractions and amenities and on-site concierge service are also included in its $220,000 membership fee, and annual dues are a reasonable $6,000.

Finally, self-proclaimed industry leader Carefree Elite also touts group membership among its plan options, providing 45 nights for a membership deposit of $175,000 and annual fees of $25,000.