Union Budget 2021 Navigating Challenges

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Budget 2021 had a bouquet of announcements paving the way forward for positive changes

A gist of the announcements:

• Voluntary Vehicle Scrapping Policy
• A new framework to choose your power distribution company
• Big Boost to Health CareIncentives for Startups
• A new cess: Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess

 

Budget 2021 had several important announcements. While it focused on specific industries and the economy as a whole, the Finance Minister did make a few key announcements that could directly impact your daily lives.

Union Budget 2021 Highlights: Among the key policy announcements made by the Finance Minister during the budget was the announcement of a new vehicle scrapping policy and a new framework for power consumers. Other announcements were aimed at opening up opportunities in various sectors as well as startups.

Voluntary Vehicle Scrapping Policy: The Finance Minister stated that the voluntary vehicle scrapping policy would be brought in to phase out old and unfit vehicles. Under the policy, vehicles would undergo fitness tests in automated fitness centres after 20 years in case of personal vehicles, and after 15 years in case of commercial vehicles.  The Finance Minister also stated that this move is an effort to reduce vehicular pollution and oil import bill by encouraging fuel-efficient, environment-friendly vehicles. The policy's announcement will impact the future of vehicle ownership in the country.

A new framework to choose your energy supplier:  There was an announcement that the government will outline a new framework that will give consumers alternatives to choose from more than one power distribution companies. The FM in her Union Budget 2021 speech highlighted that those distribution companies across the country were monopolies, either the government or private and that there is a need to provide choice to consumers by promoting competition.

Incentives to Startups:  In more Union Budget highlights, there is an extension to the tax incentives provided to startups to usher innovation in the country. The Finance Minister extended the eligibility to claim a tax holiday by one more year, i.e. March 31, 2022, and also extended the capital gains tax exemption provided to startup investors.

Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC):  The Finance Minister ended her speech with the announcement of a new cess that will be levied on select items, including petrol and diesel, which have attracted a cess of Rs. 2.5 and Rs. 4 per litre, respectively. However, care has been taken to reduce other customs and excise duties on some of the items. The real impact of this cess will only be known when they come into effect.

Big Boost to Health Care: The budget plan for Health and Wellbeing in 2021-22 was increased by 137%  to Rs. 2,23,846 crores. The Finance Minister, in her speech, announced Rs. 35,000 crores for a COVID-19 vaccination programme as well as setting up the PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana with an outlay of about 64,180 crores over 6 years to improve primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare.

 

There are other key highlights of the Union Budget 2021 that will also revive the economy in the aftermath of the pandemic. It was the first paperless budget and was presented through an app by the Finance Minister. In 2021-2022, India can also look forward to:

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• 15,000 schools to mentor others under the National Education Policy
• National Research Foundation to receive Rs. 50,000 crores in funding over the next 5 years
• 8,500 km of highways to be built by 2022
• 2,217 crores added to the National Clean Air programme to tackle air pollution in 42 cities
• Customs duty slashed on Gold and Silver from 12.5% to 7.5%
• 100% electrification of railway's broad gauge routes to be completed by December 2023.
• Two new technologies - 'MetroLite' and 'MetroNeo' - to be deployed to provide metro rail systems at a much lesser cost with the same experience, convenience and safety in Tier-2 cities and peripheral areas of Tier-1 cities. 

 

So did the budget meet your expectations? Let us know.

 

*Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only; it is not an analysis or opinion of DBS Bank.

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General

• ‘Club Marriott’ is a membership program that offers dining and accommodation privileges, access to a range of select hotel facilities, promotions, offers and reservations to individuals at Participating Hotels (defined below), Partner Hotels (defined below) and certain benefits from Program Partners (defined below) of Marriott International Inc. in the Asia-Pacific region (the “Club Marriott Program”). The services under the Club Marriott Program are available through the Club Marriott Mobile Application, available on iOS and Android operating systems (the “Club Marriott App”) which also provides digital membership cards and certificates.
• Club Marriott Program as offered by the Club Marriott App is subject to the terms and conditions of use set out herein below (the “Terms and Conditions”) and the other terms stated at the time of use of the benefits and the Privacy Policy available at https://www.clubmarriott.in (the “Privacy Policy”), the ‘Licensed Application End User License Agreement’ of Apple, Inc., available at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ (“Apple EULA”) and, if applicable, the end user license agreement in relation to the Google Play Store of Google LLC (“Google EULA”). The Club Marriott Program website, operated by or on behalf of Marriott (defined below) is governed by certain terms of use available at https://www.clubmarriott.in (“Website Terms of Use”). Please refer to https://www.clubmarriott.in for the latest updates on the Club Marriott Program, including the Terms and Conditions, Website Terms of Use, the Privacy Policy, the Participating Hotels, Partner Hotels and Program Partners. In the event of conflict between the provisions of the Apple EULA and the Terms and Conditions, the provisions of the Terms and Conditions will prevail. In the event of conflict between the provisions of the Google EULA and the Terms and Conditions, the provisions of the Terms and Conditions will prevail.
• By clicking “I AGREE” or by paying the membership fee or using the benefits of the membership or any feature of the Club Marriott App, you will be deemed to have read, understood and accepted the Terms and Conditions of membership, the use of the Club Marriott App, the Apple EULA, the Google EULA, the Privacy Policy and the Website Terms of Use. If the Apple EULA, Google EULA, Privacy Policy, the Website Terms of Use or the Terms and Conditions are not acceptable to you, you may exit and refrain from using any feature of the Club Marriott Program and the Club Marriott App.
• By accepting the Terms and Conditions, you will be entering into a binding agreement with Marriott International Inc., Marriott Hotels India Private Limited and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, associates and group companies (“Marriott”), TLC DigiTech Private Limited and its affiliates, subsidiaries, associates and group companies (“TLC”), the hotels, resorts and properties participating in the Club Marriott Program and offering all membership benefits, including sale of the Club Marriott Program memberships (the “Participating Hotels”) and hotels, resorts and properties affiliated to Marriott offering certain benefits of the Club Marriott Program (the “Partner Hotels”). For a complete list of Participating Hotels, Partner Hotels and Program Partners, see https://www.clubmarriott.in/hotels-and-resorts for the use of the Club Marriott Program.
• The use of “we” or “us” in the Terms and Conditions refers to Marriott, TLC, the Participating Hotels and Partner Hotels.
• The benefits, rules, Terms and Conditions, Apple EULA, Google EULA, Privacy Policy, the Website Terms of Use and the duration of the Club Marriott Program may be modified, withdrawn, added or deleted, with or without prior notice. All decisions taken by us in this regard shall be final and binding on the members of the Club Marriott Program.

Eligibility Enrollment and Membership

• The Club Marriott Program is open only for individuals, and its services may not be availed by employees of Marriott and TLC, companies, organizations, associations, travel agencies etc. unless otherwise expressly authorized by Marriott. Marriott and TLC reserve the right to deny membership to any individual without assigning a reason.
• The Club Marriott Program is open only to individuals aged 18 years and above or the age of majority where they live, and who are otherwise competent to contract as per the Indian Contract Act, 1872, as amended. Applicants are responsible for compliance with all applicable laws.
• By enrolling and participating in the Club Marriott Program, you agree that we may contact you by telephone, by text message, by electronic mail, by instantaneous chat, or by any other media for which you have provided contact information in connection with your membership in accordance with the terms of our Privacy Policy.
• Applicants can enrol as a Member and existing Members can renew their membership on the Club Marriott App. Such applicants and existing members will be required to provide valid, accurate, complete and updated personal information on a mandatory basis, which only includes their first name, last name, mobile number and e-mail ID to avail of the services under the Club Marriott Program. Applicants are required to verify their Mobile through an OTP and provide a valid email ID to complete the sign up on the Club Marriott App. This information will be stored and used in accordance with the Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to cancel or deny access to any account found to contain false, fictitious, erroneous or outdated information or even without a reason at our discretion.
• Members are advised to avail a single membership, however, subject to Marriott’s discretion, Members may avail of a total of five (5) memberships across hotels, which will be reflected in the Member’s Cards Wallet on the Club Marriott App. However, an individual Member will have a single unique profile in the Club Marriott App irrespective of the number of membership subscriptions availed by them. It is recommended that the Member upload a profile photograph to their profile for a better in-hotel experience. Such photograph should be of the individual Member only. Photographs of non-members, objects or locations are not permitted.
• Membership benefits may be availed only by Members, and are accessible only through a single phone device registered by them at the time of creating their account. This device can be automatically changed by the Member once through the Club Marriott App, and through the Program Contact Centre for any subsequent changes. If a Member inadvertently creates a duplicate account by using different or alternate contact details, the details provided in the new account may be merged and consolidated into their previous account.
• If permitted, Members can add a Spouse membership, Partner membership, gift a membership, refer a Member or gift a certificate benefit which is transferable. All such transactions will be undertaken through the Club Marriott App and the beneficiary will be required to download the Club Marriott App, complete the sign up process and accept all the terms of usage as defined here. Spouse Members will have access to the Primary Members certificates which can be used only once by either the Primary Member or the Spouse Member.
• If you wish to avail input tax credit on your membership fee under the Good and Services Tax law applicable in India (“GST”), we request you to provide us with your GST registration number and the company name at the time of making the payment on the Club Marriott App. GST details provided after payment will not be accepted.
• Members are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the information provided by them on the Club Marriott App and for the security of information on the Club Marriott App. Members will receive an e-mail notification for all redemptions on the Club Marriott App which they may authorize through a one-time password, if prompted. We are not responsible for any unauthorized access to the Member’s account or any unauthorized redemption from the Member’s account. Members must immediately report any fraudulent activity on the Club Marriott App to the Club Marriott Program Contact Centre.
• The Club Marriott App should not be used for commercial purposes, unlawful, immoral or illegal purposes or for any purpose other than those stated in the Terms and Conditions. We reserve the right to deny access to the Club Marriott App to any user who violates the Terms and Conditions, the Website Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy, or at our sole discretion.
• Members must not engage in any conduct or do anything that would damage, impair or interfere with the operation or security of the Club Marriott App, the system hosting the Club Marriott App, or any of our computer systems.
• Members are requested to keep the Club Marriott Mobile App updated on version updates to ensure a seamless experience and continuity of all the benefits.
• By accepting the terms and conditions of the Club Marriott membership program and consent to the collection, use, and processing of your personal data as detailed above and in the TLC Privacy Statement, you understand that your personal data may be transferred to Marriott and handled by Marriott in accordance with the Marriott Group Global Privacy Statement.

Membership Card and Certificates

• Membership card and certificates will be issued digitally to the Member through the Club Marriott App and will be valid for the period of 12 calendar months or as specified from the date of their issuance. Membership may be renewed through the Club Marriott App after the expiry period.
• All benefits through the use of digital certificates are for one-time use only and must be redeemed by the Member on the Club Marriott App, subject to an OTP verification when prompted. Members are advised to do all redemptions themselves and on the property where the benefit is being used. In addition, Members may be requested to present a valid photo ID at the time of redemption to confirm identity. All redemptions are deemed final to which no refunds or changes may be made.
• The benefits given in the certificates are accompanied by terms given on the face and on the reverse of the certificate which can be accessed by tapping on the reverse of the certificate in the Club Marriott App. Members must familiarize themselves and accept these terms before redeeming a certificate benefit.
• Membership certificates have no cash value and cannot be traded for any other service. Subject to Part VII (Gifting policy), certain kinds of certificates may be gifted to another individual through the Club Marriott App, as stated on the individual certificate. Such Gift Certificates (defined below) can only be retrieved by the recipient of the gift by downloading the Club Marriott App and accepting these Terms and Conditions.
• All certificates have to be utilized in full and cannot be exchanged for cash or any other service.
• In the event a Member makes a reservation through the Club Marriott Application, such Member is required to redeem, cancel or modify the service reserved solely through the Club Marriott App. Once the certificate has been used for reservation of a service, it cannot be used for any other reservation until the original reservation has been redeemed, cancelled or modified. In an event of a no-show for a reservation, the certificate will be considered to have been redeemed.
• A Member must ensure that the redemption is valid for that visit or else there may be a risk of losing that one-time benefit. Redemption of benefit must be done only after the Member has arrived at the Participating Hotel or the Partner Hotel.

Intellectual Property

• The Club Marriott App contains proprietary information, content and materials, including but not limited to domain name, icons, logos, trade names, trade secrets and trademarks in relation to the Marriott brand (the “Marriott Materials”) that are owned by Marriott and is protected by applicable intellectual property and other laws. No license is granted in respect of those intellectual property rights. The use of the Club Marriott App by any person does not grant, transfer to or confer upon such person any right, title or interest in the Marriott Materials.
• The Club Marriott App also contains proprietary information, content and materials, including but not limited to designs, flows, copyright, trademarks, patents, software codes, source code and other underlying technology and user interface and user journey (the “TLC Materials”), that are owned by TLC and is protected by applicable intellectual property and other laws. No license is granted in respect of those intellectual property rights. The use of the Club Marriott App by any person does not grant, transfer to or confer upon such person any right, title or interest in the TLC Materials.
• Users agree that they will not use the Marriott Materials and TLC Materials (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) in any way whatsoever except for use of the services available on the Club Marriott App in compliance with the Terms and Conditions. Users must not use, copy, modify, publish, reproduce, distribute, re-transmit, transfer, upload, download, sell, license, reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Intellectual Property, without the prior written consent of Marriott or TLC (as applicable). Users must also not engage in any conduct that infringes, violates or misappropriates any Intellectual Property rights of Marriott, TLC or any other party, and such infringement, violation or misappropriation shall amount to a breach of the Terms and Conditions.
• Marriott and TLC reserve the right to take any administrative and/or legal action in the event of misuse, infringement, violation or misappropriation of the Intellectual Property by any users. You agree to indemnify, defend and hold Marriott, TLC and our affiliates, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees, consultants, agents and other representatives, harmless from and against any and all claims, judgment, deficiencies, damages, liabilities, losses, costs (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) and other expenses that arise directly or indirectly out of or from an infringement or misuse of the Intellectual Property.

Program Partners

• Program Partners are certain third-party entities that provide benefits to members of the Club Marriott Program from time to time (“Program Partners”). By enrolling and participating in the Club Marriott Program, members agree that Marriott may communicate offers from Program Partners to members on the Club Marriott App by telephone, by text message, by electronic mail, by instantaneous chat, or by any other media for which members have provided contact information in connection with their membership.
• Offers from Program Partners are subject to requirements under separate terms and conditions of each Program Partner. Members are responsible for directly checking and complying with a Program Partner’s terms, conditions, and privacy and usage policies. Nothing in the Terms and Conditions is intended to or shall create or establish any agency, partnership or joint venture relationship between us and the Program Partners.
• Program Partners may add, modify, withdraw or delete any of the benefits offered by them under the Club Marriott Program, with or without prior notice. All decisions in this regard shall be final and binding on the members of the Club Marriott Program.
• TLC, Marriott, Participating Hotels, Partner Hotels, Program Partners and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries and the owners, licensors, suppliers, advertisers, sponsors, operators, franchisees, directors, officers, managers, employees, consultants, agents, and other representatives (collectively, the “Club Marriott Parties”) (i) make no guarantees, warranties, or representations of any kind, express or implied, with respect to benefits, services, products, items or merchandise of Program Partners, and (ii) assume no liability for changes in or discontinuances of the terms and conditions, privacy and usage policies, products or services of the Program Partners program or other vendor's loyalty program.
• Club Marriott Parties shall not be liable for any expense, damages, losses, liabilities or costs (including, without limitation, attorneys’ or other legal fees), accident or inconvenience that may arise in connection with (i) the use of benefits, services, products, items or merchandise of Program Partners or (ii) the discontinuation of a Program Partner’s loyalty program, or (iii) as a result of any defence or failure of such items, or (iv) as a result of any Member’s participation in a Program Partner’s loyalty program. Any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose are specifically disclaimed.

Benefits

• The benefits of the Club Marriott Program may be availed through paid membership. Certain features may be availed without a paid membership where Members may freely download and use the Club Marriott App. Membership benefits may vary, depending on the hotel where the membership is purchased and used or when the Club Marriott App is provided by a Program Partner or a third-party to its customers or used by a Member without a paid membership.
• The benefits on the Club Marriott Program are offered solely at the discretion of Marriott, the Participating Hotels, the Partner Hotels and Program Partners. Not all services and benefits are provided by all Participating Hotels and Partner Hotels. Membership benefits are subject to availability and may be changed without prior notice and we will not be liable to the Member for any compensation in the event of denial of such benefits or services.
• Benefits provided under the Club Marriott Program are not available at Marriott Luxury Collection Hotels and Marriott Executive Apartments in India (a list of participating properties is available at https://www.clubmarriott.in
• Dress codes and child policy may apply at certain hotels. Liquor would be served only to guests who have attained the minimum legal age for purchase and/or consumption of alcohol in accordance with applicable law.

DINING BENEFITS

• Dining benefits may be availed under the Club Marriott Program (described more fully at https://www.clubmarriott.in) Members may make table reservations to selected restaurants at the Participating Hotels or Partner Hotels through the Club Marriott App. We will not be liable to the Member in the event a table reservation is cancelled, or any dining benefits are denied.
• Dining benefits providing discount of up to 25% on the food and beverages bill are available on a table of up to a maximum of 20 guests while dining at designated restaurants of participating Marriott Hotels in India. Dining benefits providing discount of up to 20% on the food and beverages bill are available on a table of up to a maximum of ten guests at Club Marriott Participating Hotels in Asia Pacific.
• Certain luxury hotels affiliated with Marriott (such as W Goa and The Ritz-Carlton Bangalore) offer a discount of 15% on the food and beverages bill.
• Eligible purchases of dining benefits made under the Club Marriott Program exclude (i) service charges and taxes; (ii) purchases made during the blackout dates or any other day as specified by the Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel; (iii) catering and/or event purchases; (iv) carry-out and/or delivery purchases or room service orders; and (v) special promotions, discounts or other bundled food and/or beverage purchases. Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or Partner Hotels shall determine in their sole discretion whether a purchase constitutes an eligible purchase, and the Member agrees to abide by, and to be bound by, such determination.

ACCOMMODATION BENEFITS

Reservations

• By using the Club Marriott App to make reservations at a Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel, you (i) agree to be bound by all of such Participating Hotel’s or Partner Hotel’s standard terms and conditions and by any other policies, terms and conditions that may apply, and (ii) authorize Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or the Partner Hotels to use your personal information for the purpose of the reservation.
• All reservations are subject to room allocation availability at the Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel. It is recommended to make a reservation in advance through the Club Marriott App which is routed to marritt.com or directly at marriott.com clearly selecting the membership benefits to be redeemed and the Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel to avoid any disappointment on arrival. Please enter the applicable corporate promo code under the section “Special Rates” on marriott.com to avail of the benefit. All reservations under the Club Marriott Program are non-commissionable.
• Accommodation benefits are in the form of certificate benefits that are for one time use with the certificate clearly specifying the discount percentage and the hotels where those can be used. Card Benefits are applicable at hotels in India and over weekends at hotels in the Asia Pacific region.
• Redemption of certificates or promo codes in relation to reservations can only be made 30 days prior to the date of arrival or as stated on the certificates or terms and conditions applicable to a promo code.
• Early check-in, late check-out or specific room type requests are subject to availability on arrival and cannot be guaranteed at the time of reservation.
• Certain luxury hotels affiliated with Marriott (such as the St. Regis Mumbai, W Goa and The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore) offer a discount of 10% on stays.
• The Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel reserves the right to require proper proof of identity (e.g. passports or national identity cards) from any person checking in. The Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel has the absolute discretion to refuse to check-in any guest who is unable to provide proper proof of identity.
• Eligible purchases of accommodation benefits made under the Club Marriott Program exclude (i) service charges and taxes; (ii) purchases made during the blackout dates or any other day as specified by the Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel; (iii) purchases for specific events such as weddings, conferences, or special events; (iv) purchases made in conjunction with other prevailing offers, special promotions or discount programs; and (v) bookings and reservations made for the purposes of reselling, advertising or marketing the reservations (whether online or otherwise) to third parties including by online agents, third-party owned websites, corporations or travel agents for commission. Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or Partner Hotels shall determine in their sole discretion whether a purchase constitutes an eligible purchase, and the Member agrees to abide by, and to be bound by, such determination.

Cancellation Policy

• The cancellation of any reservation may vary depending on the room rates, occupancy levels, availability or other requirements of the Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel. The cancellation policy of the Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel will typically be provided along with the confirmation of the reservation.
• Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is our standard policy that any amendments to, or cancellations of, any reservation may be subject to a certain retention amount in accordance with the standard cancellation terms of the relevant Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AND EVENTS

• Paid Club Marriott Members and Spouse Members are eligible to avail the benefits of unique experiences curated by the Club Marriott Program with special and unique offers. These are available on the Club Marriott App and will be subject to their respective terms and conditions.
• Unique experiences are subject to availability and non-transferable and members are prohibited from selling, assigning, transferring, re-marketing, or otherwise disposing of a unique experience that has been redeemed.
• Members participate in unique experiences at their own risk and are deemed to have agreed to release and hold us harmless from and against any loss, damage, injury, claim or cause of action arising out of participation in an experience.
• Eligible purchases of unique experiences made under the Club Marriott Program exclude (i) service charges and taxes; and (ii) purchases made in conjunction with other prevailing offers, special promotions or discount programs. Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or Partner Hotels shall determine in their sole discretion whether a purchase constitutes an eligible purchase, and the Member agrees to abide by, and to be bound by, such determination.

SPA, HEALTH CLUB AND POOL FACILITIES

• Spa benefits of up to a 20% off are available at participating Marriott managed Spa’s in India.
• Health Club and Pool benefits are available normally only at the hotel from where the membership is purchased and with limited use through certificates and restricted number of guests, on available days and time. Members are advised to read the terms and conditions of the benefit on the Club Marriott website and on the face and reverse of the certificate to avail such benefits.
• Reservations for use of the benefits such as eligible health club, spa and/or salon purchases and access to pool facilities are limited to the hotel from where the membership is purchased and subject to the house rules that may apply for the use of these facilities. We will not be liable to the Member in the event access to spa services, health club and pool facilities is cancelled or denied for reservations made on the Club Marriott App.
• Eligible purchases in relation to (i) spa benefits include spa and may not include salon services; (ii) health club benefits include access to the health club, health club retail purchases, and shower, steam and sauna; and (ii) pool facilities include access to the pool, shower, steam and sauna and/or food and beverage items.
• Eligible purchases of spa, health club and pool benefits made under the Club Marriott Program exclude (i) service charges and taxes; (ii) purchases made during the blackout dates (iii) purchases for specific events such as weddings, conferences, or special events; (iv) purchases made in conjunction with other prevailing offers, special promotions or discount programs; and (v) bookings and reservations made for the purposes of reselling, advertising or marketing the reservations (whether online or otherwise) to third parties. Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or Partner Hotels shall determine in their sole discretion whether a purchase constitutes an eligible purchase, and the Member agrees to abide by, and to be bound by, such determination.

Marriott Experience Gift Cards and Certificates

• Gift cards may be issued by Marriott and purchased by Members on the Club Marriott App for the purpose of self-use or gifting to any person including certificates providing certain benefits (the “Gift Certificate”). Cash certificates are only issued through Partners and pre-loaded with a certain monetary amount as agreed with the Partner that can be used at a participating Marriott hotel in India not exceeding INR 10,000, which may be redeemed by the recipient for select benefits at a Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel (the “Marriott Experience Certificate”, collectively “Gift Cards”). Use of Gift Cards may be subject to GST and is also subject to additional terms and conditions printed on the Gift Cards, and as set out below.
• Gift Cards are designed and available for members in digital form. Digital gift cards are redeemable only through the Club Marriott App. Gift cards are valid for a limited period of time (typically six months from the date of purchase).
• Certain additional eligibility criteria may be imposed by Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or Partner Hotels on recipients of Gift Card benefits (i.e., in case of accommodation benefits, the recipient is required to be aged 18 or above).
• Gift Cards carry no value unless they are activated. Gift Cards are not returnable, refundable or redeemable for cash, and may not be reloaded, resold or transferred for value. Any unused amount on the Gift card will lapse and cannot be carried forward or returned in cash. Gift Cards may not be used for availing any benefits from Program Partners. Gift Cards transferred fraudulently, unlawfully, or otherwise in violation of these Terms and Conditions, are subject to cancellation. Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or Partner Hotels reserve the right to institute additional security and verification procedures at the time of redemption of Gift Cards to prevent fraud and misuse.
• Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or Partner Hotels reserve the right to alter, withdraw, or institute additional requirements regarding use of Gift Card benefits. We are not liable for cancellation or denial of Gift Card benefits to any members or Gift Card recipients.
• Members can personalize the gifting experience by uploading a video with a personal message or typing in a message to be sent along with the digital Gift Card to the receiver of the Gift Card.
• Members must ensure that Gift Cards are only gifted to persons well known to then with an acceptable message. The Member is obliged to indemnify and shall release and keep us fully harmless from any third-party claim or damage incurred as a consequence of a Member’s personalization of the Gift Card message.

Referral Policy

• Members may refer the Club Marriott Program to a friend or any other person and upon successful enrolment in the Club Marriott Program by such person, the referring Member will be eligible for a referral benefit in the form of a Marriott Experience Certificate with a value of INR 1,000 or any other amount as may be decided by Marriott from time to time which may be digitally redeemed at the Club Marriott App.
• These Terms and Conditions shall apply separately and independently to each Member enrolled in the Club Marriott Program, including each person enrolled by referral from a Member.

Cancellation or Termination of Membership

CANCELLATION

• Members who wish to discontinue their membership are required to submit a written request of cancellation and refund (if applicable) within 15 days of becoming a Member. Upon submission of a written request, termination is irreversible. The membership account of the concerned Member on the Club Marriott App will be closed, and the total amount of the membership fee will be refunded provided that no benefits under the Club Marriott Program have been used by the Member and the refund requested adheres to the given timeline.

TERMINATION

• Membership will end automatically upon the death of the Member.
• Marriott may immediately, without notice or limitation, terminate any membership to the Club Marriott Program at its sole discretion without assigning any reason or if the Member: (i) violates these Terms and Conditions, the Privacy Policy, the Website Terms of Use or any other applicable additional terms, or appears to be utilizing the benefits under the Club Marriott Program in a manner inconsistent with these Terms and Conditions or the intent of the Club Marriott Program; (ii) fails to promptly pay any applicable dues; (iii) is suspected or found to be acting in an abusive or fraudulent manner or engaging in any conduct that artificially, improperly, or deceptively impacts the use of membership benefits (including, without limitation, use of any “bot,” macro, or other automated means of participating in the Club Marriott Program); (iv) attempts to transfer their account to another Member or a third party, except with the express written permission of Marriott; (v) makes any misrepresentation in connection with the Club Marriott Program; (vi) impairs the normal functioning of the Club Marriott Program website or the Club Marriott App or the Club Marriott Program; (vii) disturbs other guests or otherwise disrupts or impairs the normal operation of Marriott, any Participating Hotel and/or Partner Hotel; (viii) acts in a manner detrimental to us or any third party (including, without limitation, behaving towards any Marriott employees or other guests of a Participating Hotel or Partner Hotel in any manner that is abusive, harassing, threatening, derogatory, disrespectful, lewd, obscene, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate, as determined by Marriott in its sole discretion); or (ix) acts in any manner inconsistent with applicable law; or (x) allows their membership account to remain inactive for a period of two months or more; or (xi) files for insolvency or bankruptcy, or is otherwise subject to a bankruptcy proceeding.
• Membership cards or certificates must be returned to Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or Partner Hotels upon the termination of membership of any Member.
• Members agree that Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or Partner Hotels have the right to monitor membership accounts at any time and without prior notice for compliance to the Terms and Conditions. Any fraud or abuse in relation to the Club Marriott Program is subject to appropriate administrative and/or legal action, including termination of membership.

Termination of Club Marriott Program

• If the Club Marriott Program is terminated, all unredeemed benefits will be forfeited without the imposition of any obligation, refund or liability on us, unless otherwise announced by us. Upon termination, there shall be no obligation on us to offer a replacement program. Marriott, the Participating Hotels and/or the Partner Hotels reserve the right to determine in our sole discretion how to handle any benefits under the Club Marriott Program to activities occurring after the effective date of termination. Such discretion may include declining to provide such benefits after the effective date of the termination.

General Disclaimer

• If a Participating Hotel or a Partner Hotel ceases to operate as a hotel owned, managed, operated, franchised, or licensed by Marriott, or if such hotel ceases to be a Participating Hotel or a Partner Hotel (as applicable), you will not be eligible to redeem any benefits under the Club Marriott Program, for an otherwise qualifying activity at that property, even if the stay was booked before the hotel ceased to be associated with Marriott or ceased its participation in the Club Marriott Program.
• If a Program Partner ceases to be affiliated with Marriott or ceases its participation in the Club Marriott Program, you will not be eligible to redeem any benefits provided by such Program Partner, even if the benefit was requested for before such Program Partner ceased its participation in the Club Marriott Program.
• The use of benefits under and participation in the Club Marriott Program, including, but not limited to, the collection of certificates or other benefits may be subject to fees and taxes in the relevant jurisdiction. As a result, members will be required to pay such fees and taxes as applicable. Any tax liability, including disclosure to third parties, connected with receipt or use of any of the benefits under the Club Marriott Program is the Member’s responsibility. We are not liable for any such tax liability, duty or other charges.
• Enrolment is only possible through online payments made on the Club Marriott South Asia App. Please note, we do not accept payments made in cash. However, bank transfers may be accepted in some special cases.
• Any request for online payment of membership fee or for the purchase of any benefit under the Club Marriott Program are transferred to and processed by a third-party payment gateway service provider. We do not store any debit/credit card information of any Member in our database or in any data backup system or retrieval system. For abundant caution, each transaction done through the Payment Gateway has a limit of INR 50,000 (Indian Rupees Fifty thousand only). The Club Marriott Parties specifically disclaim all warranties and conditions of any kind, whether express or implied, in relation to the operation of the payment gateway, and shall not be liable for any monetary or other damage suffered by any person due to (i) any delay, failure, interruption, or corruption of any data or other information transmitted in connection with the use of the payment gateway or any services in such connection; and/or (ii) any interruption or errors in the operation of the payment gateway.

No Warranties Limitation of Liability

• The Club Marriott Program is made available to you on an as-is, as-available basis, without representations or warranties of any kind, whether express or implied. Club Marriott Parties make no representation about the suitability of the Club Marriott Program for you. The Club Marriott Parties specifically disclaim all warranties and conditions of any kind, including all implied warranties and conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non-infringement.
• Your participation in the Club Marriott Program is voluntary, by your own choice and at your own risk. The Club Marriott Parties do not warrant or represent that your access to the Club Marriott App will be uninterrupted or error-free or that any information, data, content or other material accessible through the Club Marriott App will be free of viruses, bugs, malwares or other harmful components that may interfere with or damage the operation, security or functionality of your device(s).
• Without limiting the foregoing, the Club Marriott Parties do not represent or warrant that the information related to the Club Marriott Program is accurate, complete, reliable, useful, timely, or current or that the Club Marriott Program will operate without interruption or error. Despite commercially reasonable efforts the Club Marriott App, website and other materials may contain typographical or other errors or inaccuracies, including, without limitation, regarding the benefits of the Club Marriott Program. No Club Marriott Party will be responsible for any such error, typo, or misprint in these terms or any such program materials. The Club Marriott Parties reserve the right to void or refuse to process any benefit or transaction arising out of such an error, typo, or misprint.
• The materials on the Club Marriott App are for general information only and nothing in the Club Marriott App contains professional advice or any binding commitment in relation to the accuracy, reliability or availability of the products and services on offer.
• You acknowledge that your access to the Club Marriott App and the ability to redeem the benefits of the Club Marriott Program are only through your device(s) and depends on the mobile network carrier or internet. You agree that the Club Marriott Parties are not responsible for any delays, interruptions or suspension of the services available through the Club Marriott App which are caused by the failure of network connectivity. You agree to bear the expenses in respect of maintaining network connectivity to use the Club Marriott App. You also agree that Club Marriott Parties are not responsible for any malfunctions, failures, difficulties, or lost, stolen or misdirected messages, transmissions or entries, or the security of any communications entered into by you. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Club Marriott Parties shall not be responsible for injury, loss or damage to your device(s), or interception, use or disclosure of confidential information (such as credit/debit card information or other personally identifiable information), arising out of your use of the Club Marriott App or any sites linked or associated with the Club Marriott App.
• The Club Marriott Parties will not be liable for any acts, errors or omissions of any other Member, third party or program participant or any third party’s loyalty or rewards program.
• In no event will a Club Marriott Party be liable to you for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages arising out of or in any way connected with the Club Marriott Program. You agree that the Club Marriott Parties’ total cumulative liability in connection with or arising out of the Club Marriott Program and these Terms and Conditions, will not exceed the amount paid by you directly as membership fee towards your participation in the Club Marriott Program.
• This Part XII will survive the termination of the Club Marriott Program and your participation in the Club Marriott Program.

Indemnification

• You agree to indemnify, defend and hold Club Marriott Parties, harmless from and against any and all claims, judgment, deficiencies, damages, liabilities, losses, costs (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) and other expenses that arise directly or indirectly out of or from (a) a breach of these Terms and Conditions, the Website Terms of Use or the Privacy Policy; (b) any allegation that any information or other materials submitted to us infringe or otherwise violate the copyright, trademark, trade secret or other intellectual property or other rights of any third party; and/or (c) the use of the benefits under the Club Marriott Program, the website or any related product or service by any Member.

Binding Decisions

• All decisions by us, where applicable in relation to the Club Marriott Program, including the benefits offered under the Club Marriott Program, the conditions of membership, termination of membership, membership accounts on the Club Marriott App, or closure or withdrawal of benefits are final and binding on all members and applicants..
• All interpretations of the Terms and Conditions are at our sole discretion, where applicable, and our decision will be final and binding. If the English version of these Terms and Conditions conflicts with any other language version, the English version shall prevail.

Governing Law

• The Club Marriott Program and these Terms and Conditions are governed by the substantive laws of India.

Dispute Resolution

• Any disputes or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms and Conditions shall be settled by arbitration to be held in New Delhi in accordance with the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 as amended, in the English language, and shall be heard and determined by an arbitral tribunal composed of a sole arbitrator appointed by agreement between the parties to the dispute hereto. If the parties fail to reach an agreement with respect to the appointment of an arbitrator within 30 calendar days of any party’s notice to the other party of the existence of a dispute, the parties shall appoint one arbitrator each and the arbitrators appointed by the parties shall appoint a third presiding arbitrator. The decision of the arbitrator(s) shall be final, conclusive and binding on the parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, nothing contained herein shall be deemed to prevent either party from seeking and obtaining injunctive and equitable relief from any court of competent jurisdiction without the posting of any bond or other security.
• Subject to the above, each of the Parties submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at New Delhi.

Program Contact Centre

• All members may request assistance from the dedicated program contact centre. The operating hours for the program contact centre are from 9AM to 9PM every day excepting public holidays. Members may also direct any queries regarding the Club Marriott Program by telephone at 011-43169650 or by e-mail at [email protected]. The Club Marriott App also supports chat and voice options.

2. Taj Epicure Membership Terms and Conditions

Epicure Program operates under the terms and conditions as set out herein below unless otherwise expressly stated. Should you require any clarifications you can contact Member Services at 1800 102 6080 or email us at [email protected]

Definitions

1. "IHCL" or “Company” refers to The Indian Hotels Company Limited which owns and/or operates various hotels in India and overseas, or its subsidiaries/ group companies.
2. “Epicure Program" is the optional membership plan offered by The Indian Hotels Company Limited on payment of an annual membership fee.
3. "Member" means a natural person who is admitted as a member of the Epicure Program.
4. “Membership” means a valid membership of the Epicure Program.
5. "Card" refers to the Epicure Program membership magnetic stripe card provided to members upon membership enrolment.
6. “Add-on Card” refers to the additional membership magnetic stripe card offered over and above the primary Epicure Program Membership magnetic stripe card, for usage by member’s spouse to avail Special Discounts which are a part of the membership. An Add-on card holder is not offered any Exclusive Vouchers for his/her usage.
7. “Special Discounts” refer to the discounts, which are not linked to a printed Exclusive Voucher, but are available to be availed by an Epicure Membership Card holder through a card-swipe or voucher code. These discounts can be used by the Epicure Membership Card Holder multiple times through the 365 day validity of the membership card.
8. “Validity” refers to the 365 day period from the date of issuance for which the Epicure Membership Card and Membership Benefits are available for use by the Epicure Program member.
9. “Fee” refers to the monetary sum which needs to be paid by a person in order to enrol as a member of the Epicure Program during the Validity.
10. “Membership Benefits” refer to the benefits in the form of special discounts and Exclusive Vouchers provided to an Epicure Program member as a part of his/her membership.
11. “Exclusive Vouchers” refer to the printed vouchers, with additional terms & conditions applicable for their individual usage, supplied to the Epicure Program member as a part of their membership, and which can be utilised to avail limited-usage benefits at the participating IHCL establishments within India only.
12. “Best Available Rate” – is the rate of stay for a specific room or suite category at the participating IHCL hotel as available on its reservation system, including its website, Hotel Reservation Office or Reservations 24x7, which are directly owned and/or operated by IHCL.
13. “Direct Booking” is a reservation made using the IHCL reservation system, including its website, Hotel Reservation Office or Reservations 24x7, which are directly owned and/or operated by IHCL.
14. “Participating Hotels” refers to Taj (www.tajhotels.com), SeleQtions (www.seleqtionshotels.com) and Vivanta (www.vivantahotels.com) Hotels participating in the Epicure Program, unless specified below in the list of hotels where the benefits of the Epicure program are not applicable. Hotels part of Taj Safaris (www.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj-safaris/) and amã Stays & Trails (www.amastaysandtrails.com/) are not participating in the Epicure program, unless specified otherwise under the benefits of any individual voucher, where the participation will be limited to the benefits of the specific voucher.

The benefits of the Epicure Program are not applicable at the following hotels in any manner.

i.   Vivanta Vadodara ii.  Taj Wellington Mews, Mumbai iii. Taj Wellington Mews, Chennai

For detailed list of participating hotels and applicability of membership benefits and vouchers, click here. For terms and conditions applicable for the individual vouchers, please refer to the section on Exclusive Vouchers

15. “Participating Restaurants” refers to restaurants situated within the premises of “Participating Hotels” and participating in the Epicure Program, with the exception of:
16. Wasabi by Morimoto
17. Orient Express
18. The 101 Dining Hall at Taj Falaknuma Palace
19. Bhairo at Taj Lake Palace
20. “Blackout Dates” refer to dates, including but not limited to select weekends, public holidays & festivals and days of the peak travel season period, on which the availability of products and services at the participating hotels is limited, and during which the membership benefits of the Epicure Program are not valid even at the Participating Hotels.
21. “Participating Establishments” refer to all Participating Hotels, Participating Restaurants, The Taj Club, Jiva Spas and Qmin which are a part of IHCL portfolio and at which the membership benefits of the Epicure Program are valid as per their individual terms and conditions.

General

18. These terms and conditions shall be governed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of India and the Courts at Mumbai shall have exclusive jurisdiction in respect of all matters/ disputes arising out of these Terms and Conditions and/or the Epicure Program.
19. The Membership Benefits of the Epicure Program are offered at the sole discretion of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). IHCL reserves the right to add, modify, delete or otherwise change any of the rules, conditions, privileges, benefits, pertaining to the program at its sole discretion, with or without notice.
20. Membership and/or Membership Benefits of the Epicure Program shall be void if prohibited by the laws in the country of the Member's domicile.
21. Membership Benefits have no monetary value and cannot be bartered or sold or transferred by Members for cash at any point of time. Any benefits which IHCL deems to have been transferred, sold or assigned by the Member in violation of the program rules may be deemed invalid and/or cancelled.
22. All interpretations of the Terms and Conditions and membership benefits shall be at the sole discretion of IHCL.
23. All benefits and exclusive vouchers part of the Epicure Program are meant for personal / individual use only and cannot be used for group bookings or reservations. Any use of Epicure Program benefits and exclusive vouchers for non-personal use or group bookings and/or reservations is subject to immediate cancellation and penalty at sole discretion of IHCL.
24. The Epicure Program membership and all associated benefits and exclusive vouchers are meant for personal / individual use only and not for further sale. Sale of the membership or any of its associated benefits or exclusive vouchers, individually or collectively, by any individual or entity other than IHCL shall be deemed illegal and lead to immediate cancellation of the said membership and/or the associated benefits/exclusive vouchers.
25. Membership is open to individuals who are aged 18 years and above only.
26. All communication will be sent to the address (postal or email) available as per member records and it is the responsibility of the member to inform the Epicure Member Services about any change in his/her communication details (email id, mobile number, and address). All communication will be deemed to have been received by the Member and IHCL bears no responsibility for communication not received or lost in the mail or courier.
27. IHCL reserves the right to grant or refuse or discontinue or revoke membership of Epicure Program at its sole discretion. Discontinued/ revoked membership may result in the loss of all accumulated Points and the cancellation of all TIC or Epicure Rewards, benefits and privileges and forfeiture of any unfulfilled reservations, products or services sought to be availed using Points.
28. Notwithstanding any provision contained herein, IHCL also reserves the right to discontinue membership to the Epicure Program to any member who appears to be using the programme in a manner inconsistent with the terms and conditions, applicable laws/rules/ regulations, spirit of the programme, or any portion thereof, including, but not limited to, reward redemption. Discontinued/ revoked membership may result in the loss of all accumulated points and cancellation of all Epicure plan rewards, benefits and privileges and forfeiture of any unfulfilled reservations, products or services sought to be availed using Points.
29. Each Member is responsible for remaining knowledgeable about the Epicure program rules, and ensuring his/ her updated details (email id, mobile number, and communication postal address) are captured on the Epicure Program records. The Epicure Program team may send correspondence to active Members to advise them of matters of interest, including notification of program changes and updates. However, neither IHCL, its subsidiaries, affiliates or associates or programme management service providers nor the owners of Participating Hotels or Participating Restaurants or companies participating as service partners in the programme shall be liable for any failure to do so and will not be responsible for correspondence lost or delayed in the mail.
30. Membership Benefits do not constitute property of the Members. Except as specifically provided herein, no accrued Membership Benefits are transferable in the event of death, disputes or otherwise. In the event of death, the Epicure Program membership will be terminated and all membership benefits shall stand cancelled.
31. Specific membership benefits and privileges have been established for all Epicure program members. However benefits and privileges offered by participating hotels may vary. If IHCL or any partner denies a member a membership benefit for any reason whatsoever, IHCL will not be liable to make any payment to the member or compensate him/her in anyway.
32. The benefits of Epicure membership enrolled through partners may vary and not all benefits offered as part of the Epicure membership directly purchased from IHCL may be applicable. The benefits applicable will be as communicated by the partner. The details of the applicable benefits should be checked and confirmed with the partner from where the Epicure membership is enrolled/offered.
33. IHCL is not responsible, and assumes no liability, for changes or discontinuance of services provided by any Participating Establishment, that may affect the program benefits offered.
34. Nothing in the Epicure program is intended, or shall be construed to create or establish any agency, partnership or joint venture relationship between IHCL and any partners or Members.
35. IHCL will not be responsible for replacement of lost or misplaced membership cards or fraudulent usage of the card.
36. IHCL will not be responsible for replacement of lost or misplaced vouchers. IHCL reserves the right to refuse benefits due against membership card or exclusive vouchers which are lost or misplaced or used by a person other than the member.
37. The information the Member provides to the Company shall be processed according to the Company's Privacy Policy. In choosing to become an Epicure member, the Member consents to sharing of any information provided by the Member and to receive communications pertaining to the program or otherwise. The list of Participating Establishments is subject to change at any time, without any prior notice, at the sole discretion of IHCL. Please contact the Epicure Program Member Services at 1800 102 6080, or any other number as updated from time to time, for any queries. The list of Participating Establishments will be updated on the website www.tajhotels.com/epicureprogram from time to time.
38. The Membership Benefits are not applicable and cannot be used in conjunction with other prevailing offers, vouchers, offers, promotions or discounts.
39. The redemption of all Epicure Program membership benefits and exclusive vouchers is subject to availability and can be declined by the Participating Establishment in case of unavailability of the respective product(s) or service(s).
40. Prior reservation is mandatory for the use of Epicure Program membership benefits and exclusive vouchers.
41. The standard policies of the Participating Establishments, including but not limited to those relating to check-in/check-out timings, dress code, safety guidelines and rules of usage, shall apply in addition to the terms and conditions of the Epicure Program in respect of the redemption of membership benefits and exclusive vouchers.
42. Epicure Program membership benefits and exclusive vouchers will not be valid during the blackout dates at the Participating Establishment(s).
43. The benefits and exclusive vouchers provided as a part of the Epicure Program membership cannot be transferred, altered, renewed or exchanged against cash or any other forms of products or services excepting those indicated on the voucher.
44. In case of vouchers meant for use by members-only, the member must present the voucher and the Epicure Membership card at the time of redemption. In case of vouchers open to use by the bearer, the bearer must present the voucher and quote the associated Epicure Membership card number at the time of redemption.
45. The exclusive vouchers provided to the Epicure Program member at the time of enrolment, unless specifically provided on such vouchers that the same are non-transferable and/or for use by member only, can be used by the bearer who must quote the associated Epicure Membership card number at the time of redemption.
46. A member must allow upto 2 weeks for processing of any requests pertaining products, services, membership kit or membership benefits of the Epicure Program.
47. All applicable taxes and charges shall be payable by the member / exclusive voucher bearer in advance, prior to redemption of the benefit. IHCL will not bear any tax, which may be levied on the benefits utilised by the Epicure Program member, and paying these taxes shall be the responsibility of the member and/or voucher bearer.
48. All membership benefits are subject to availability and supplier restrictions. IHCL may, without notice, withdraw or substitute any benefit with another benefit of comparable value and nature.
49. No credit or substitutions will be given for any benefits that are only partially used.
50. The Epicure Membership card and exclusive vouchers are the property of The Indian Hotels Company Limited. If found, please return to the Epicure Program Member Services, Mandlik House, Mandlik Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400001.

Enrolment and membership

51. Membership is open to individuals only who are aged 18 years and above.
52. Membership to the Epicure program is valid for a period of 365 days from the date of enrolment into the Epicure plan. It may be renewed for the following year on payment of the prevailing membership renewal fee. If a member does not pay the requisite fee, the membership to the Epicure plan will stand automatically cancelled and the membership benefits shall no longer be available.
53. Enrolment onto the Epicure Program must be in the individual's full legal name and a government recognized proof of identification is mandatory to be provided upon request. One person is allowed to have only one active Epicure membership at any point in time. Additional memberships, if any, are liable to be cancelled as per the termination clause outlined below.
54. The membership of the Epicure Program is valid only till the date indicated on the card.

Termination of Membership

55. The Epicure Program membership, unless renewed, shall automatically stand terminated upon the expiry of the 365 day validity period from the date of issue.
56. An Epicure Member can request for termination of Epicure Program membership upto 30 days from the date of enrolment, only if not even a single membership benefit is availed of during this period. A deduction equivalent to INR One Thousand Rupees plus taxes, shall be made by IHCL in order to meet administration and incidental expenses incurred by IHCL in respect of the membership. The rest of the sum shall be refunded to the member upon termination of the membership.
57. If the member wishes to terminate their Epicure Program Membership within 30 days of enrolment, but after utilisation of even a single membership benefit, they will not be entitled to any refund, and the entire fee paid for the membership shall stand forfeited upon such termination.
58. If the member wishes to terminate their Epicure Program Membership after the expiry of 30 days from the date of enrolment, irrespective of whether any membership benefits have been availed of or not, they will not be entitled to any refund, and the entire fee paid for the membership shall stand forfeited upon such termination.
59. All membership Benefits shall cease to be available upon the termination of the membership.
60. Exclusive Vouchers provided as a part of the Membership, will cease to be valid post their validity date, as stamped on the physical vouchers, and cannot be renewed, revived or exchanged against cash or any other benefits even upon termination of the membership.
61. IHCL reserves the right to grant or refuse or discontinue or revoke membership of the Epicure Program at its sole discretion. Discontinuation/revocation of the Epicure Program may result in the cancellation of all Epicure Membership Benefits and forfeiture of any unfulfilled reservations, products or services sought to be availed using Membership Benefits.
62. Notwithstanding any provision contained herein, IHCL also reserves the right to discontinue membership to the Epicure Program to any member who appears to be using the program in a manner inconsistent with the terms and conditions, applicable laws/rules/ regulations, spirit of the program, or any portion thereof, including, but not limited to, membership benefits. Discontinued/ revoked membership may result in the cancellation of all Epicure Membership Benefits and forfeiture of any unfulfilled reservations, products or services sought to be availed using Membership Benefits.
63. Cancellation of membership to the Epicure Program shall lead to the entire fee paid at the time of enrolment being forfeited.
64. The Epicure Program has no predetermined termination date and may continue until such time as IHCL decides to terminate the program, with or without notice to the Members.

Renewal of Membership

65. An active Epicure Program Membership can be renewed upto 60 days in advance of its expiry. An inactive or expired Epicure Program Membership cannot be renewed.
66. The Fee for a new membership and for renewal of membership may differ from time to time and the program member shall be required to pay the fee prevailing at the time of renewal.
67. Upon renewal, an Epicure Program membership validity shall stand extended by another 365 days from the date of expiry of original membership validity.
68. A fresh set of Exclusive Vouchers will be provided to the Epicure Program Member upon membership renewal, as per the benefits of the program at the time of renewal. These vouchers shall be valid as per their individual validity date.
69. Exclusive Vouchers provided as a part of the membership cannot be renewed, and will expire post the validity date mentioned, irrespective of whether the membership is renewed or not.

Exclusive Vouchers

70. The exclusive vouchers provided to the Epicure Program members at the time of enrolment shall be valid till the date mentioned on every individual voucher. The vouchers are valid at select hotels in India only. The applicability and detailed terms and conditions are mentioned on each voucher.
71. The member/bearer, as per the individual voucher usage rules, must call Reservations 24x7 or individual Hotel Reservation Office, in case of room stay, or the participating establishment directly, in case of other benefits, to check on the applicability and availability of the voucher and to subsequently make a reservation to redeem the voucher.
72. In addition, the following terms & conditions apply to the individual benefits of the exclusive vouchers:

  -Complimentary One Night Stay including Breakfast for Two Persons:

• This voucher entitles the Epicure Program member to a one night room stay and breakfast for two persons only at the base category room of the hotel and does not include any other offerings or services.
• Government taxes as applicable will be payable directly at the time of using this voucher
• This voucher is non-transferable and can only be redeemed by the Epicure Member for his/her stay.
• This voucher is not applicable for stay on any date from 23rd December to 15th January.
• Reservation against this voucher will be subject to room allocation control and the hotels reserve the right to close out bookings under this category.
• This voucher is not applicable at the following hotels:
  • Hotels part of Taj Palaces (https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/palaces)
  • Hotels part of Taj Safaris (https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj-safaris)
  • Hotels part of amã Stays & Trails (https://www.amastaysandtrails.com)
  • Anand Kashi by the Ganges, Rishikesh – IHCL SeleQtions
  • Taal Kutir Convention Centre, Kolkata
  • Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans
  • Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa, Uttarakhand
  • Taj Theog Resort & Spa, Shimla
  • Taj Aravali Resort & Spa, Udaipur
  • Taj Chia Kutir Resort & Spa, Darjeeling
  • Ramgarh Lodge, Jaipur – IHCL SeleQtions
  • Vivanta Sawai Madhopur Lodge
  • Pilibhit House, Haridwar – IHCL SeleQtions

  -20% Discount on Room / Suite Stay at any of the participating Taj Palaces:

• This voucher entitles the bearer to avail a one-time discount of twenty percent on the Best Available Rate on direct bookings for a stay of upto five consecutive nights at any of the participating Taj Palaces and does not include any other offerings or services.
• For stays lasting more than five consecutive nights, the twenty percent discount shall be applicable on Best Available Rate for the first five consecutive nights only. The charges for all other nights shall be paid at actuals by the bearer.

  -20% Discount on Room / Suite Stay at any of the participating Taj Safaris:

• This voucher entitles the bearer to avail a one-time discount of twenty percent on the Best Available Rate on direct bookings for a stay of upto five consecutive nights at any of the participating Taj Safaris and does not include any other offerings or services.
• This voucher is not applicable at the following Taj Safaris:
  • Meghauli Serai, Chitwan National Park
• For stays lasting more than five consecutive nights, the twenty percent discount shall be applicable on Best Available Rate for the first five consecutive nights only. The charges for all other nights shall be paid at actuals by the bearer.

  -Complimentary Set-Lunch for Two persons:

• This voucher entitles the bearer to a one-time set-lunch for two persons only at the participating All-Day Dining restaurants across hotels and does not include any other offerings or services.
• The set meal will be from a selection of 3 course veg / non-veg menu options as curated by the hotel. The choice of meats in the non-veg menu options will be Chicken / Mutton / Fish and will not include any other sea food or imported meats.
• This voucher can be utilized for a set-lunch from Monday to Saturday only.
• This voucher is applicable at the designated All-Day Dining restaurant(s) only, and not at any other restaurant of the participating hotels.

  -Complimentary Celebration Cake in Member’s Birthday Month:

• This voucher entitles only the Epicure Program member to a one-time complimentary Celebration Cake upon dining at any of the participating restaurants across hotels on any day during his/her Birthday month and does not include any other offerings or services.
• This voucher is applicable on dine-in only and is not valid for delivery or takeaway.
• This voucher is applicable only during member’s birthday month, as registered with Epicure Program.
• This voucher is non-transferable and can only be redeemed by the Epicure Member for his/her use.

  -Complimentary Sixty Minute Spa Treatment and Access to Sauna and Steam for One Person:

• This voucher entitles the bearer to a one-time complimentary sixty minute spa treatment and access to sauna and steam for one person at the Jiva Spas across participating hotels and does not include any other offerings or services.
• This voucher is not applicable at Anand Kashi by the Ganges, Rishikesh – IHCL SeleQtions

  -20% Discount on Best Available Rate for Room / Suite Stay:

• This voucher entitles the bearer to avail a one-time discount of twenty percent on Best Available Rate on direct booking for room/suite stay for unlimited room nights at any of the participating hotels and does not include any other offerings or services.

  -Complimentary One-time One-Level Room Upgrade for One Night:

• This voucher entitles the bearer to a one-time one-level room upgrade for one night booked directly at Best Available Rate at any of the participating hotels and does not include any other offerings or services.
• This voucher is not valid for an upgrade to a room category higher than a base category suite.
• The upgrade will not include airport transfer(s) or any other service which is deemed as an outsourced service by the participating hotel.
• Only the occupants of the room being upgraded, and no other persons, are eligible to avail the benefits of the upgraded room.

  -Pool Access + Set-lunch + Glass Of Wine at a Special Price for upto Four Persons:

• This voucher entitles the Epicure Program member, to a one-time day-only access to pool along with a Set-Lunch and Glass of Wine at a special price of INR 3,000 plus taxes and other applicable charges per person for upto four persons at any of the participating hotels and does not include any other offerings or services.
• The set meal will be from a selection of 3 course veg / non-veg menu options as curated by the hotel. The choice of meats in the non-veg menu options will be Chicken / Mutton / Fish and will not include any other sea food or imported meats.

  -Access to any Taj Club Lounge with a Complimentary Tea / Coffee Service for Two Persons:

• This voucher entitles the Epicure Program member, and one accompanying guest, to a one-time only access to any Taj Club lounge along with a complimentary tea/coffee service at any of the participating Taj hotels and does not include any other offerings or services.
• This voucher is non-transferable and can only be redeemed by the Epicure Member for his/her use.

   -25% Discount on Qmin Food Deliveries:

• This voucher code when used on Qmin mobile application entitles the user to a discount of twenty percent on food deliveries from the participating restaurants across hotels and does not include any other offerings or services.
• This voucher code is applicable for food delivery orders placed via the Qmin mobile application only and is not valid on orders placed via phone or other means.
• This voucher code must be applied while placing the order and cannot be applied once the order is placed.
• This voucher code is meant for use by the Epicure Program Members only.
• To redeem this voucher code, member can download Qmin Mobile Application from Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
• This voucher code can be used multiple times and for multiple orders through its validity period.