Food options & expenses at Club Mahindra Virajpet

When you are staying in Club Mahindra resorts in general (Virajpet Coorg in particular), what are all your food options and cost? I have had this question for a long time and happy to share my findings based on my personal experience at Club Mahindra Virajpet this week. Club Mahindra doesn’t share their menu/food price online as it is high and might deter potential customers/prospective members. Most people realize about expensive prices only after they check in and with limited options/unwilling to go for a cheaper alternative which is inconvenient or needs more effort, many end up buying in house, paying through their nose. It is important to know how much your food & beverage bill might be and what are your alternate options, so that you can go prepared- either to pay and enjoy in house or prepared with plan B to save some money.

Guests have multiple options when it comes to food. You can choose what works for your budget, convenience and preference.

Option 1: Buffet package in the resort

If you eat a lot, or don’t want to be bothered with selection of items, you can opt for Club Mahindra’s inhouse restaurant (Aroma) Buffet options. Below are the cost.

On the amount shown above, there is 18% GST extra, 5% service charge and 18% GST on service charge, so the net amount you pay would be 24-25% more than what you see initially.

For non members, lunch = 1592.11 INR(  1285 INR + 18% GST, 5% service charge and 18% tax on service charge) , Dinner= 1800 INR, breakfast= 1200 INR. Combo deals available, discounts apply for members, senior citizens and kids. If you want to enjoy unlimited food then roughly 3000-3500 INR per person per day would be the food expense.  

I had my buffet lunch at the resort one of the days. The spread was great, but there were no juices and no fruit cuts. I asked the chef to make me a glass of buttermilk. 

If you have plans to go out for sightseeing then you can skip inhouse package and eat outside. Spending 6000-7000 per day on food per couple per day would be heavy for middle class families, so you can try other options below.

Also a buffet is a waste of money if some members in your group eat very little. No discounted rate for vegetarians, so you pay for non veg as well. Non veg items were kept in a separate counter away. Outdoor sitting is available.

Option 2: Ala Carte order

Resort has an ala carte restaurant where you can order specific items.

• Pav Bhaaji is 450 INR  + tax (18% GST + 5% service charge + 18% GST on service charge)
• Juices: 175-255 INR + tax
• Fixed meals- 1100 + Tax
• Most items cost 400 to 700 INR
• Alcoholic beverages 1000 INR +

Detailed menu here..

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u48yhH85s_jf7aq-1w-yt9Pl35mWxCdA/view

Option 3: Gourmet Express-in room dining

You can order ala carte items to be delivered to your room. Pricing is same for ala carte and Gourmet express. But If you visit the restaurant yourself, you pay a 5% service charge. If it is delivered to your room, service charge is 12% (+ 18% tax of course)

 

My original plan was to have buffet lunch at 1285 and then order a paav Bhaji for 450 INR on Gourmet Express. But lunch expense came to 1592 after all taxes so I didn’t have balance to avail Paav Bhaji (would have had to pay 225 Rs extra beyond 2000 INR paid during check in)

I ordered a 255 INR milk shake (Banana)- I was expecting it to be of larger quantity and presented nicely, but below is what I got for about 300 INR total (including tax n service charge).

Club Mahindra could have definitely enhanced the in room dining experience with one or more of following enhancements. 300 INR cup of milkshake could have been served better

- include some cashew nuts in the milkshake (common practice in Banana Rasayana)

- Give a larger quantity

- Some better presentation- like a more sturdy cup, that tiny umbrella etc

They have 3-4 electric scooters with delivery boys picking your order from the kitchen and delivering to your room. Depending on how much time your food takes and how many orders they are loaded with, be ready to wait 20 to 40 minutes for the order to reach your room.

Option 4: Manage using in the room facilities

All Club Mahindra rooms have a mini kitchenette- a microwave oven, a kettle, mini refrigerator, a flask, few cutleries and plates. Tap water is potable so you don't have to worry about water usage. Using these you are allowed to prepare some basic stuff for yourself. For example you can bring MTR Ready to Eat packets, heat them in the microwave and consume. Thus in about 100-200 Rs you can have some food. You can bring some packed item from home, heat it and consume, cook maggie as well (Boil water in kettle, pour to bowl, add maggie, heat again in microwave for 2 mins.

While outside food is not allowed (delivery boys are not allowed), you can bring some snacks n stuff with you while you return from outside. Preparing your own food needs planning and effort while on holiday, but since the savings are huge, it might be worth considering. Also be sure to clean up the utensils and do not use kettle to any purpose other than boiling water. (I guess guests have abused the kettle to cook maggie etc, so CM has put up a sticker next to the kettle)

Option 5: Go out

There are restaurants within 5 kms from the resort in Virajpet. If you wish you can go out, have your food and come back. Closest one is Club Side, walking distance from resort- they have veg fried rice, parota etc at a reasonable price. Most of the drivers eat there I guess.

This Haveri restaurant is the other closest option- most items cost 100-150 INR there, more options in Kadanga town. There is one Lebanese restaurant as well.

A small shop on the way to resort sells stuff few rupees above MRP (2 to 5 Rs more). A supermarket in Kadanga town sells items below MRP.

You’ve to factor time and effort in traveling out and back. If you have your own vehicle it is convenient, else taxi cost adds to your food expense.

Why resorts charge so much for food?

While we feel furious lunch is costing 1500 INR+, we need to understand resort is a commercial entity. Besides cost of food, they need to recover various other expenses from their customers

• Crores of rupees spent on buying/building the resort
• Salary to 100s of staff members
• Marketing expense to promote their resort & membership
• CEO's salary & perks
• Cost of transportation involved

All these need to be paid by customers who visit the resort. If they add all costs to room rent, booking amount will go up and people may book competitor resorts. There are other resorts in Coorg that charge 30k to 50k a night and include food. Charging separately for food gives some options to customers as well- they don't have to pay a lot upfront and can chose what they need. Once in the resort, people are often lazy to go out so resorts can get away charging a premium to their captive customers.

What did I do to manage my food at Club Mahindra Virajpet?

I spent 2 nights in Club Mahindra Virajpet. Below is how I managed my food

I had to pay 2000 INR as cover charge during check-in which is redeemable against any food or activity. Thus I used it for buffet lunch one day

Day 01: Didn’t buy any food, had good food outside before arriving at the resort, evening had a curd ride at Haveli restaurant (100 INR) and bought some buns and biscuits with me for emergency consumption

Day 02: Ate Maggie cup noodles and MTR Upma ready to eat adding hot water from kettle. I was working from resort on this day so going out would have taken more time.

Had in house buffet lunch (1592.11 out of 2000 spent), evening with balance bought a milk shake and water bottle (255+20+ 18% GST +12% service charge + 18% GST on service charge)= About 360 INR

Day 03: I checked out at 5.30 AM, so I had my food outside. I still had some 80 INR unused out of 2000 INR I had paid. But nothing is available for that price except few water bottles, so I let it go.

Disclaimer: All information as experienced in person during March 31, 2022 at Club Mahindra Virajpet. Pricing, rules and options may vary from time to time and resort to resort. Use for reference only, check with CM for official information

Other: How to redeem Club Mahindra Gift Voucher * Club Mahindra Virajpet resort review * Club Mahindra timeshare membership review * Club Mahindra 3 year GoZest memberships * Evolve Back Coorg *