Timesharetalk Forum - Resort Write-Up - (Resorts A to F)

Dalfaber Golf & Country Club

wilsonjenny@timesharetalk.co.uk — Sat, 02 May 2009 20:35:30 +0100

Date of stay : 21.3.09 � 28.3.09 - Week 12
Address: Dalfaber Village, Aviemore, Scotland. PH22 1ST
Exchange via Interval International.

We recently returned from this lovely resort in Aviemore that is set within the Cairngorm National Park. The resort is set in spacious landscaped grounds with plenty of space between the lodges and ample parking areas. There are many difference types of accommodation throughout the large development. We were lucky enough to have been allocated a Topsider (#3) lodge that was directly on the banks of the River Spey with glorious views of the snow topped Cairngorm mountains.

Check in went smoothly and we were given an information pack on the resort facilities. These include a restaurant/bar, leisure centre with swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and gym, which is in the same building as the reception area. There is a facility to purchase food and beverage vouchers for the on site restaurant, that can be used at the other MacDonald Clubs close by. Light entertainment is provided throughout the week on different nights. We eat out most evenings, so cannot comment on whether it was value for money or not. However, the leisure centre looked well maintained on the one time we looked in. A credit card deposit is required in case of breakages or damage.

Our lodge had 2 beds/2 baths and we were pleasantly surprised by the appearance and quality of the d�cor, furniture and fittings. The lodge itself was round with a wooden decking type veranda running all the way round the building with a small white wrought iron patio set facing the river. I could imagine that in warmer months this would have been a lovely spot to relax and have a beer or glass or wine or two. Unfortunately it was too cold when we were there in March.

The accommodation comprised of a small hallway, with broom cupboard, wall hangers for coats, lounge area, kitchen, double bedroom with ensuite and one with two single beds and separate bathroom in another small hallway. Both had double wardrobes, but not a lot in the way of drawer space. The kitchen was well equipped with crockery, glassware, cutlery, pots and pans etc and has a dishwasher, microwave, oven with hob, toaster, coffee pot and electric kettle. Everything you would need to cook a full meal if required. Washing up liquid, kitchen cloth, scourer and drying clothes were provided.

Both bathrooms had good quality sanitary ware and shower over the bath with plenty of hot water, with a good flow of water from the shower head. There was also a small fan heater on the wall and a heated towel rail. The only toiletries supplied were two bars of soap in each bathroom.

Electricity at the time of our visit was charged at 12p/unit, with a standing charge of �1.30. Our bill was �34.06 for the week. I expect it would have been more if the lodge had been fully occupied during the day and in the colder winter months. There is a laundry facility on site, close to the reception block.

PETS: Allowed, with restrictions � a pet policy is provided prior to arriving at the resort.

There is an excellent Tesco supermarket in Aviemore that provides everything you could want and stays open late, seven days a week. The village provides a good selection of other food shops, including a butcher that sells Scottish beef, haggis and sausages. Plus plenty of coffee shops, tea rooms, bakery stores and various other delicatessens. There are also plenty of outdoor clothing shops catering for the skiing crowd and all outdoor pursuits.

MAID SERVICE: None � this could be provided for an extra fee of �25 for a midweek clean and towel change for �1 per set.

SAFE: None

RESTAURANTS WE TRIED:

WINKING OWL: Reasonably priced pub grub with a good atmosphere at the weekends � quiet in the week when we were there. Got the impression this was popular with the apr�s ski crowd in the winter.

LA TAVERNA: Good Italian with a pizza & pasta buffet at lunch and dinner.

INTERNATIONAL STARTERS - (IS for short): This was one of our favourites and has only recently opened. Very modern d�cor and welcoming. It is on a similar theme as tapas, but with an international flavour. You choose 2 or 3 starters each from an extensive menu including Scottish, Mediterranean, Asian, American and various sides and platters. All freshly cooked and reasonably priced with a lots of lovely desserts.

OLD BRIDGE INN: This is on the Dalfaber Road, not far out of Aviemore. Lovely old inn with a wood fire and delicious meals freshly cooked in an open kitchen, adjacent to the bar. The venison was particularly good. Another one of our favourites.

There are many more restaurants to choose from and there is sure to be something to suit everyone.

Our main reason for going to Aviemore was to do some serious hill walking. Unfortunately, we were too early in the season and there was still lots of snow on the Cairngorm Range. We had to make do with the smaller hills and forest walks, however we did manage to do some excellent walks, but at times the weather defeated us as it is no fun walking in a �white out� and getting blown over!

Glenmore Forest Park has extensive walking routes ranging from a few miles to longer hikes of 12 miles or so. On a walk over Meall a�Bhuachaille and beyond we came across a herd of reindeer relaxing in the sun, so we stopped and joined them for a while. This really made my day. There is a Reindeer Centre close to Glenmore and they may have been part of this. The Information Centre is excellent and staffed by pleasant and helpful staff - opposite Tesco. Depending on the time of year , the surrounding areas cater for almost every outdoor sport you could ask for, from fishing, kayaking, outdoor activity centres, cycling canoeing etc.

We were very impressed with both Dalfaber and the Aviemore area and would love to go back one day, although would go in May or June when the snow has gone. Another good exchange from Interval International.

Diamond Club Las Calas, Lanzarote

Keitht@timesharetalk.co.uk — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 07:38:56 +0100

Resort Name: Diamond Club Las Calas (aka Club Las Calas)
Date of visit: 5/3/09

A major refurbishment project at the resort has only been completed in the last 12 months and the work has been done to a very high standard. We were allocated unit 257, a one bedroom unit on the 1st floor (2nd floor to US visitors) overlooking the pool of Las Calas 2. A small �Welcome Pack� was in the apartment on arrival and consisted of milk, water, tea, coffee and sugar, along with a bottle of wine.

It provided the basics and was much appreciated as we arrived after 8 in the evening with no knowledge of the whereabouts of supermarkets. There is actually a small supermarket about 50 yards from the complex with other larger ones within a few hundred yards.

The living/dining area had a 3 seater convertible settee and single armchair, table suitable for 4 to eat comfortably, coffee table, large flat screen TV and DVD player. Limited English language channels � ITV1, Channel 4, a couple of Sky Sport channels and Sky News being about it. We found the beds (2 singles) to be exceptionally comfortable, soft but supportive i.e. not sagging. Plenty of storage space in the bedroom too. The kitchen is fully equipped with cooker, microwave, kettle, filter coffee maker and even a fruit juicer. No dish washer or washing machine, but there is a laundry on site. On the balcony there is a table and 4 chairs plus 2 sun loungers.

The living room and bedroom have ceiling fans but no air con although we have never found the lack of air-con to be a problem in our many visits to the Canary Islands. The one bedroom unit was ideal for a couple but I think it would be cramped if the bed-settee in the living area had to be used.

There are actually 4 sections to the development � Mimosa, comprising just 10 units; Calas 1 with 19; Calas 2 with 60 and Calas 3 with 56. There are heated pools in each section and all guests have full access to all facilities. Calas 3 has the largest pool and sundeck so the area is always busy in good weather although we never had any problem in obtaining sun beds. My only complaint in that respect is the charge for sun bed cushions with owners paying a �6 deposit whilst exchange visitors are charged an additional �1.20 per day or �6 per week. I really do resent being treated as a second class citizen when I exchange into a resort. The other problem created by the deposit system is that you have to take the cushions with you when you leave the pool area, not a major problem if you happen to have a unit conveniently located for the beds you are using, but a real hassle when attempting to negotiate the many, many steps in the complex.

There are 2 bars and restaurants on site. The Welcome Inn which has most of the live entertainment and Rincon which is more focussed on the restaurant side in the evenings. Food in both was good although I do feel it was a little over priced � a factor of the captive market really and not uncommon in other resorts.

Staff throughout the resort were very friendly and helpful with nobody qualifying for the Mr or Ms Grumpy award. We were visited by one of the resort sales staff, but to call it a �Sales Pitch� would be a gross over statement. We were provided with a list of the current re-sales units which actually seemed to be priced as realistic levels, although we aren�t in the market anyway. The sales lady actually stressed that they don�t handle any of the actual sales process on site, it is all done through their UK office once potential purchasers have returned to the UK, so no pressure sales techniques to worry about � obviously a positive sign.
The RCI site says that the resort isn�t suitable for those with mobility problems and that can�t be emphasised enough. There are steps everywhere and no lifts at all.

The resort is about 10 minutes walk from the nearest beach and about 20 minutes walk from the Old Town and harbour where the better restaurants tend to be found. The area is very hilly with one section nicknamed �Cardiac Hill� and not without good reason. That said, we didn�t find anything apart from the one named above to be difficult, in fact the walking gave us a good workout.

We really liked the Las Calas resort, but can�t say the same about Puerto del Carmen which we found to be soul-less with the exception of the Old Town. For that reason we are unlikely to return, which is a shame as Las Calas is one of the friendly places we have stayed. There are many, many owners who return year after year and have never used any exchange system which itself speaks volumes for the place.

Club La Costa at Monterey

wilsonjenny@timesharetalk.co.uk — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:55:18 +0100

DATE OF VISIT: 19.12.08 � 2.1.09 (Weeks 51/52)
ADDRESS: Calle Finlandia, San Eugenio Alto, Adeje 38660, Tenerife
BOOKED: via Club la Costa Vacation Club Points.

[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/doggy50k/200938175324_club-la-costa-at-monterey.jpg[/img]

The directions given by CLC are easy to follow. The road up to the resort (Calle Finlandia) is scruffy, with apartments on one side and open land on the other, where there is a nightclub with large car park, entrance to Siam Park, various rubbish strewn land and what looks like caves to one side, built into the side of a wall of earth. The entrance to both Monterey and Monterey Royale is at the top set into the hillside. The reception is very small and basic. Check in went smoothly (credit card deposit required against breakages). We were given an envelope with details of the resort, trips and general info on the resort. We were allocated room D601 on the first floor of the second phase. On asking about car parking, we were advised that we should find room to park the car above the first 2 bed phase (where the gym is situated). There is a lift here for the upper phase. We were also advised that someone would meet us and help with our suitcases but this person did not materialise. We noticed that there were limited allocated parking bays with apartment numbers, so we parked outside of these, although space was tight. We were not told specifically not to park in these, but assumed that they belonged to dedicated apartments. Not sure how this works with CLC Vacation Club and assume they have been paid for by fixed week owners. If you can�t get in here you have no choice than to park in the road outside the resort.

The apartment was small and comprised of bathroom, small bedroom, kitchen area and lounge.

KITCHEN AREA: Small �L� shaped configuration that was in need of updating. It looked as if the microwave had recently been replaced and the crockery, cutlery, glassware was of the usual good CLC standard. The fridge, toaster and kettle were old and needed to be replaced, but worked OK, although you couldn�t see the dial on the toaster. Milk, orange juice, water, coffee, teabags, sugar, eggs, jam, two small hotel type packs of biscuits were provided. The oven had 4 halogen rings and looked in good condition although it wasn�t used other than to boil water for eggs. Washing up liquid, wash cloth, scourer and drying clothes were also provided.

LOUNGE AREA: Plain curtains in a gold colour and a blue bed/settee, small unit with a basic TV (all English terrestrial channels, Sky News, CNN etc), coffee table, side table with table lamp and large ceiling fan. Two cupboards, one housed the hot water cylinder and ironing board, brush & mop. Another small one with hanging space, plus a small drawer unit for clothes. Patio doors led on to a lovely large balcony with a table and four chairs plus four good quality sun loungers with comfortable foam cushions. We seemed to be the only apartment with such good quality loungers � not sure why.

BEDROOM: Large king sized bed that took up most of the room. One bedside cabinet with drawers and table light (there was no room for one on the other side). Small dressing table unit with open drawer underneath and chair. The electric plug was too far away to be able to use the hairdrayer/straighteners easily; therefore you had to use the one in the bathroom. Large double wardrobe, sectioned off with shelf space. Double patio doors to the balcony.

BATHROOM: Good quality sanitary ware in white with toilet, bidet, wash basin in a marble vanity unit, bath and shower over bath with curtain, fully tiled. There was a good jet spray and always hot water. A portable hair dryer with blow dry & diffuser was provided. The usual CLC toiletries were supplied along with a mending kit. Soap and shower gel were replaced after one week.

There are plans to refurbish all one beds over a couple of years and this will definitely be an improvement on the existing decor.

MAID SERVICE/HOUSEKEEPING: There is an information sheet provided that lists the days on which you get cleaning and linen/towel change. This works out at every other day with bed linen change once and towels changed every other day. You are advised to put dirty towels in the bath, otherwise they won�t be changed. Rubbish is also taken away and disposed of. The cleaners were very thorough and always to a good standard.

POOL TOWELS: Provided in the room. There is a charge for changing (not sure as we did not require a change).

SAFE: No charge. In the bottom of the bedroom wardrobe.

POOL AREA: Small and immaculate. There is a small jacuzzi at one end close to the Sunrise pool bar. We did not sit here or use the swimming pool as we sat on the loungers provided on our balcony. The times we walked by there did not seem to be many people using the facility. I expect this is different in high summer or when the temperature is higher.

FOR CHILDREN: A small round pool next to the main one. I didn�t notice any separate play area. There is a Team Marina Activity Sheet provided in the information pack that gives details and times of the Mini Club plus any other activities that are available.

GARDENS: Well tended with good quality planting to CLC�s high standard.

LAUNDRY: Excellent facility with two large washing machines and one dryer. Cost: 3.50 Euros for a wash (includes CLC detergent) - tokens available from reception. Would recommend bring your own detergent as CLC seem to have the same for the dishwasher as the washing machine. Takes approx 45 mins to complete the wash cycle.

The resort has two eateries, the Sunrise Pool Bar (daytime only) and Sunset Restaurant (open in the evenings only). We eat in the Sunset twice, on our first night and on Christmas Night. We were not overly impressed with the cuisine on offer and thought it bland for the price. Drinks are also expensive with gin & tonic 6.50 Euros and Cointreau Solo 5 Euros. We did not eat at the Sunrise Pool Bar. To be fair the atmosphere at this time of year is probably not the best as the weather is not conducive to sitting outside at night under the stars as it is too cold. They did have patio heaters at Sunset but they didn�t do that much to warm you up and the inside area lacks atmosphere. There are only two small couches to relax on with coffer after a meal and it would be a good idea to have more. The only entertainment was provided by a keyboard player. It was very disappointing, especially at Christmas time and was empty most evenings when we looked in on our way out.

WELCOME PARTY: Held at 11.00 on Saturdays at the Sunrise Bar, where you are told about the tours available and spa treatments on offer at Paradise, along with tips on safe sunbathing and expensive sun products for sale. You get a free drink of sangria or orange juice and paella and have the chance to win trips and treatments at the spa via a raffle. The raffle prizes were good but we didn�t win any. This is the first time we have attended one of these meetings and probably won�t bother again, although it does get you talking to other guests.

BUS SERVICE; 4 times daily to Los Christianos and Torviscas. Last one returns 19.30 & 19.50 respectively and costs 4 Euro return � 2 Euro single.

The area surrounding Monterey & Monterey Royale is quiet and out of the way. The road is long and towards the top it is very steep. There are lifts but you can�t just get one, so by the time you mess about and wait you might as well walk up the many flights of stairs. At the end of the road you can either go straight over the road or turn right � both will get you over the motorway to the commercialised area of San Eugenio Alto, Adeje which we both hated. However, just because we didn�t like it does not mean that others will feel the same way. There is a large Super Mercado situated at the San Eugenio shopping centre that stocked most of the things you might need. There are also quite a few Netto�s located throughout the area. They are all expensive because of the exchange rate, but not as expensive as the on-site shop (Sam�s Pantry) where a very small sliced loaf was 2 Euros.

We are keen hill walkers and toward the end of our two weeks, even we were both getting fed up with walking up and down, so it would pose a problem for people who hated walking. Taxis from Fanabe were approximately 7-8 Euros depending on the time of the day. In the end if we went to Fanabe, we took the car and left it parked up at night and walked back.

RECOMMENDED PLACES TO EAT & VISIT:

LOS ABRIGOS: Unspoilt fishing village close to Golf del Sur. Excellent value fresh fish restaurants. We eat at Restaurant Los Abrigos that has its own fishing boat docked in the harbour. Both times are meal was excellent. Large mixed salad, Canarian potatoes, beer, half bottle of wine, 4 large langoustines, and fresh fish came to �38.07 (sterling). Where could you get fresh langoustines for 2.50 Euros each. The best value we found in two weeks and the atmosphere was good with mainly Spanish customers. They do not serve meat and there is no separate children�s menu. You have to pick out your fish from the large fridge.

LA CALETA: Another fishing village that has grown since we first started to go there (16 years� ago). Well worth the visit and you can walk along the promenade front if you don�t mind a long walk or it takes about 15 mins in the car. Still unspoilt and has some lovely restaurants and tapas bars. We spent many pleasant late afternoons with a couple of glasses of wine (1.30 E for a large glass � glass or Dorado 1.30 E) a few different tapas dishes, people watching and chatting to the locals, who are mostly English ex-pats. It is amazing how much info you get on places to visit when chatting to people who know the out of the way places that are good value. It was always a dream of mine to buy an apartment here, but with the exchange rate it now a pipe dream as it is very expensive and prices have not dropped but risen considerably. I haven�t given up all hope though and put it on hold for the time being.

MOLINO BLANCO: (Windmill Restaurant). Would have liked to sample the fare here, but it was closed until Christmas Day as it had new owners. Because of illness, we left it late booking for New Year�s Eve. We thought it might be nice to go here. We called in a found out it was 98 Euros + tax each � included a few glasses of alcohol but not much. We decided it was too expensive!

MARIO�S ITALIAN RESTAURANT: Costa Adeje . This is the only restaurant we tried that was within 20 mins of the complex. We eat here twice in the company of Noreen and Terry. The lamb shank can be recommended and the lasagne was also good. There was an extensive menu, with average prices. Good ambiance.

BARRANCO DEL INFIERNO: There is a good walk here to a waterfall that takes about 2-3 hours depending on your fitness level. The scenery is lovely and gives you a taste of the �other Tenerife�. There is an entrance fee (3 Euros ea). It�s best to pre-book but not essential in the winter. You need good walking sandals, trainers or walking boots, plus water. It is not demanding and can easily be done by anyone who is able bodied, fit and well. Just outside is the restaurant Otelo 1. The chicken with mojo sauce is there speciality and the view from the veranda is well worth making the 20 minute journey to get to it. If this is shut there are a good many more similar type of places to eat in the village of Adeje, although you don�t get the view. We paid 20.68 Euro for 2 x cappuccino (2.40 ea) , 2 portions of bread, 2 chicken, 2 Canarian potatoes � not bad value for what we got.

CANDELARIA: Well worth a visit en-route to Santa Cruz. The weather was dull when we visited, but it has a lovely sea front dominated with a large modern church, flanked by many statues that look out to sea. Plenty of restaurants and local shops to spend a few hours at. The supermarkets here are cheaper than in Las Americas.

MASCA: One of our favourite places on Tenerife. The first time we came here I couldn�t believe how picturesque it was. Until recently it was a �lost village� and only accessible via mule. It now has a very narrow road that snakes it way to the village and as a result it�s very popular and a firm favourite on the island tour. There is a very popular walk here that takes you down through a very steep gorge to the sea. If you book this trip via a tour operator, you will only walk down and get a boat back to Los Gigantes. We have walked part way before, but decided to walk both ways this time. The restaurant at the top is a very welcome end to the day. The walk is not suitable if you are not an experienced walker as you need stout walking boots and preferably a walking pole (the pole is not essential, but helps). Plenty of refreshments and water as there is nothing at there isn�t a caf� at the bottom.

This is the first time we have stayed at Monterey and although we have been to Tenerife many times, we have always stayed in the Fanabe/Del Duque area which is our preference.

The weather during our stay was mixed. The first week we had a few heavy rain showers and one day it rained so badly we couldn�t go out of the apartment. Good job we had English TV to watch. During the day the sun came onto the balcony at approximately 10.30 am and it was quite cool by 4.00pm. It was cold at night and you needed a coat or wrap, especially if walking about or sitting outside. Apparently it was cold and dull the week prior to our visit.

The resort staff are courteous and friendly at all times. We had to call maintenance twice and the response time was quick and service received was excellent. Once was for a faulty steam iron that fused the lights each time it was used � we received a new iron within 20 mins. The second was for a broken toilet flush that was also fixed within a short time.

My thoughts are we might have enjoyed this resort more if we had visited at a warmer time with longer daylight hours. It seemed to lack the atmosphere we have felt at other CLC resorts, but this could just have been down to the fact that we didn�t like the immediate area. I also felt that they could have had more Christmas decorations and lights to make the resort more festive.

Four Seasons Fairways, Algarve, Portugal

neil1702@timesharetalk.co.uk — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:38:42 +0100

There are 1 replies, with the last one on 05/03/2009 at 08:38:42 by neil1702
Quote:
Just been back to this resort and had another fantastic week.
Things are getting a bit more pricey what with the falling pound and apparently a lot of the golfers are not too happy about the price of a round of golf. Rumours abound that this will come down soon as golfers are playing less due to the price.
didn't have to pay for a DVD player this time as there was already one in the apartment. Not that it mattered anyway as we now connect our iPod videos direct to the TV.
Found the local supermarket in Almancil this time, which saved a bit of mmoney on the shopping.

Costa San Antonio Resort MALTA

ragain@timesharetalk.co.uk — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:33:53 +0100

The Costa San Antonio resort is an owners exclusive resort within the Grand Hotel Mecure St Pauls Bay Malta. The Hotel has 200 plus bedrooms and the 5th floor is occupied by owners exclusive apartments, these apartments do not have kitchen facilities as half board dining is taken in the the Hotels Costa Restaurant on a daily basis. The food is absolutely superb with choices of hot or cold menus each day. There is a choice of 5 or more hot meals or a vast range of cold meats and salads each day. The rooms are spacious and comfortable and our room is a 1 bed sleeps 4 with one and a half bathrooms. It has a large balcony with sea views with a hot tub and 4 loungers and patio table and 4 chairs. The resort has a large outdoor pool and play area for children with a dedicated organiser for their entertainment. There is a gym, a games room, internet room, sauna, and entertainment each evening in the lounge bar, there is also a small dance floor and guests are encouraged to dance while the artists are performing.

The hotel is near all facilities with shops, bus terminal, promenade, restaurants and cafes all within easy reach. There is a tour office across the road to access trips to all the major tourist spots on the island and the prices are very reasonable. The hotel is approximately 30 minutes taxi ride from the airport and at this time cost 18 Euros per journey. The staff are very welcoming and speak English fluently. Ed Note: There are strong historical ties between Malta and the UK and English is spoken by most of the population
There are four lifts to all floors and there is a bar and cafe at the front of the hotel for lunches and snacks.

We have visited our apartment in November for the last 4 years and found that the temperature at that time was a very comfortable 70-73 degrees F. There are lots of historical places to visit all over the island and also the islands of Gozo and Comino are both worth a visit.

The hotel is owned by the Accor group and is superbly maintained and I don't think I have stayed anywhere better for cleanliness, staff service and furnishings, it is a four star hotel but competes with any 5 star easily.

Malta is a friendly island and the population give you a good welcome and most speak English as a second language, crime is very rare in Malta and you feel safe even in the evening if you want to walk off your evening meal, The Hotel is in a quiet area and after 11-30 pm you can actually go to bed and not be afraid of being woken up by late revellers.

A new website has just been created at www.csamalta.com and facilities are being expanded to other parts of the the holiday market echanging worldwide.
we visited Nov 2008 and are both over 65 years of age, the resort is situated on Touristi street Buggiba St Pauls Bay Malta. it is in the RCI Brochure code no 6682 check in Tuesdays and Saturdays

Club Marbella, Calahonda, Costa del Sol, Spain

Mike_in_Letcombe@timesharetalk.co.uk — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:27:20 +0100

There are 4 replies, with the last one on 30/09/2008 at 12:27:20 by Mike_in_Letcombe
Quote:
I also own at Club Marbella, however after 17 years of using it I now want to sell the apartment. They offer their own 'resale' service but it is a bit strange; they ask for a �38.00 fee to put it on their register and then ask you what you would accept?! I would accept the highest bid going - so if I only said �500.00 and they actuall sell it for �1,000.00, do they pocket the rest? Hmmm.
The actual Club is very good; we also like Club Delta Mar and Club Calahonda (both part of the same group), but after so many years, we know the area better than our own village and would prefer to start taking a weeks break in different areas / resorts. RCI is too expensive nowadays, hence why we want to sell. Any advice on how to go about this would be most welcome!

Clowance Estate & Country Club, Cornwall, England

aldfort@timesharetalk.co.uk — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:47:07 +0100

There are 3 replies, with the last one on 20/08/2008 at 11:47:07 by aldfort
Quote:
Standards are slipping since Seasons took over. The little extras that owners are used to have all gone missing. - No cooking foil - no clingfilm - low quality cleaning products now supplied - no kitchen towels etc.
Restaurant also a bit hit and miss but better than it has been in the past.
But this estate is still all about location, location, location for me.

Club Vista Verde, Maspalomas, Gran Canaria

sandyt@timesharetalk.co.uk — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:03:19 +0100

I would recommend this lovely timeshare complex which consists of 16 bungalows all surrounding a pool with views over the Campo de Golf course.

The complex is unique in that it is owned outright by the timeshare members and not by a company, or property developer.

For more information please see the website, please click on the link below:

http://www.clubvistaverde.co.uk/

Some of the reasons why I like the bungalows are:

Very quiet
Comfortable and exceptionally clean
Very large bed
Excellent wardrobe space
Satellite TV showing Sky Sports and Sky News, also bungalows have a DVD player and there is library of DVDs (and books) in Reception
Staff speak excellent English and are very helpful and friendly
All bungalows are on one level - no steps so good for disabled or older people
No need to get up early to reserve sunbeds as there are plenty available at all times
Lastly, all bungalows are the same, no difference (unlike some hotels)

You can speak to the Chairman, who is based in the UK, at any time, concerning buying weeks or renting.

If you want any further information please contact me.

Regards

Tim

Club Gran Anfi, Gran Canaria

mo mo@timesharetalk.co.uk — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:26:35 +0100

Hi All[:)]

Have been back a few days from my 3 weeks holiday in Gran Anfi so thought it was time to do a 'wee' report. Now i know that GA isn't in Interval but its sister Monte Anfi is and its next door. The Anfi resorts are just magic - everyone knows by now how much i love it there as have been going to Monte for the past 8 years. Its not for everyone as some folk may find it too large, especially if you enjoy small more intimate resorts. But i feel real at home there, plenty of eating places near and its very safe to walk around.

I still think its handy to hire a car when going to Anfi as a taxi to the resort now costs 48 euros each way, but there is a good bus service once you get to the resort which i was told is very efficient. There is also a boat you can get to Mogan from the local eMarina which is very popular especially on market day. We found having the car handy as used it in the evenings as would go and eat at Playa del Ingles, it was also useful for doing shopping outwith anfi where the prices are over inflated.

There has been much talk about increase of prices in the UK but its nothing compared to how the prices have shot up in the past couple of years in the anfi shops and restaurants. They have a captive audience and the local shops are very very expensive. If you go just a fifteen minute walk to Arguineguin there is a new Spar (as big as our Tesco) where the prices are at least 40% cheaper. They have a large fresh meat counter and fresh fish counter where you get a ticket out of an electronic machine and wait for your number to appear on a screen for getting served. I watched in amusement one day as two spanish women nearly came to blows when someone with NO TICKET got served before them, it seems that shop rage happens everywhere.

The soft drinks were so much cheaper in there, my coke zero was 49cents and 99cents in anfi. Nicks smirnoff ice 1-35 and 2-99 in Anfi If you are staying at Anfi with a family and have no car then its definately worth getting a taxi as only a couple of euro's. The restaurants are also very expensive, we went to a newly opened Indian one night where we had one main course each, shared a rice, shared a naam bread, one sparkling water, one beer and it came to 51 euros. Many holidaymakers were going into Peurto Rico but we don't like it there so would drive to Playa del Ingles where we have some favourite restaurants we enjoy going to. When Nick left and i was alone i didn't bother eating out (apart from twice when asked by folk i had met around the pool) i was quite happy staying in (as didn't get back to apartment till 8-30pm) eating a sarnie and watching the tv.

The owner who built these resorts died 2 years ago and his son took over, he has been doing loads of maintenance everywhere being painted. The pools have all been revamped, with new non slip tiles being installed - they were doing Peurto Anfi (which is underneath Monte while we were there) All the grounds were in best condition and i seen and i have never seen the flowers looking so lovely. The heart shaped island next to the marina was just bursting with colour and we had a walk around it every day, often getting ourselves a take away roll and drink and would have a 'wee' picnic while watching the world go by.

There is not much difference between the resorts, the newer ones such as Gran Anfi and Tauro have more up to date furnishings but thats about it. We took a drive out to their latest addition Taura and went in past the reception to see if we could have a look at their rooms. We had heard they are very modern and retro, but was informed you have to be accompanied by a REP and they gave us a room plan which made me smile. Its looks very posh and has lovely pools but it is in the middle of nowhere next to a golf course. The most telling thing was that there was not one holidaymaker to be seen, was like a ghost town, so i for one would hate to be stuck out there as its very isolated. Seemingly the Reps get members to change over to the points system by upgrading to Tauro (with the carrot of a big PGA golf tournament being held there next year so they could rent out their apartments) but the guests never stay there, instead they used their points to stay in Monte and Peurto as get more weeks that way - one week in Taura would get you 2 weeks in Monte. Not sure if this is a good idea as that means less availability for those who own weeks at these resorts and can't get into them; this has become a bone of contention amongst those who own weeks and those who own points.

This is the first time we have stayed in a one bed at GA and the apartment was lovely and spacious, kitchen had all the mod cons including dishwasher and washer/dryers. Living room has dining table and chairs plus a super comfy suite which converts into a sofa bed. Flat screen tv with BBC1,2,ITV, CH4, Sky One, childrens cartoon channel and movie channel, sky news etc. There is also a cd player but to my surprise no dvd player, so put that on my comments card. Large bedroom with huge king size bed, jacuzzi bath in the corner of bedroom surrounded by mirror and a super bathroom with power shower.
There is also a tv in the bedroom which was handy for me to watch while having my nightly jacuzzi. We had a lovely balcony with glass table and chairs for meals a la fresco.

Now even though i was staying at GA i still preferred sunbathing at MA (tell you why later on) so walked over there every day (only took about 5 mins) where it is so much quieter around the tiny toddlers pool. I was often the only person there till 11am and even at its busiest you were lucky to have more than 20 folk there. Most people with children preferred the bigger pools where they have slides and jacuzzi seats. By contrast GA was very very busy and you could not get a sunbed if you went out after 11am, due to Peurto pool being closed they had shifted most of the sunbeds to Gran Anfi and they were packed together like sardines in rows, sunbathed there on our first 2 days but i hated the enclosed feeling as like to have space to turn my bed around with the sun. Both resorts have hourly activities for those who get bored sitting around the pool, such as aqua aerobics, shooting, darts, archery, shuffle board, table tennis, water polo, petang and some others.

So all in all it was another lovely holiday, i was lucky that i bought a single when i went out and ended up staying for 3 weeks. Nick went back to work after 12 days then a week appeared with RCI, they would not let me book it as i owned there - which i thought was a silly rule as i made a quick email to our very own ex mod Ron and he booked it for me... yeah he does have a soft side - he just hides it well ;)
Was not sure how i would feel spending a week alone but after the first couple of days it was great - i would be up with the sun and read from 8am-11am then relax round the pool in heat of the day and then read again from 4-7pm before moving onto the reception terrace of Gran Anfi which got the evening sunshine and had Wi Fi which is super and handy as had my laptop with me. They keep saying it will be in the rooms but as yet this hasn't happened. The reception staff are lovely and would keep my laptop with them during the day to save me taking it back to the room, they got to know me so well that it would be waiting for me as they seen me arrive. There was also loads of books in their cupboard behind the sofa's which was great for avid readers as a large selection of old and new books which holidaymakers had left. I was saying to Nick today that i wish i was still there as no decisions to be made, your just cocooned in this artificial world, no stress just relaxation in the sunshine and reading round the pool. I ended up reading 16 books so my next posting will be about those.

If anyone gets a chance to go to Anfi then please do so, you can rent a week from fellow owners on http://anfiuk.co.uk/home.htm
This is always handy to know if you can't get a booking with Interval, or want to add an extra week onto a booking you've already made.

Hope i havn't bored you tooo much with this holiday report of sorts.
Loads of Love Mo xox[;)]

Club La Costa at Monterey Royale

boiler@timesharetalk.co.uk — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:29:48 +0100

There are 4 replies, with the last one on 07/09/2007 at 13:29:48 by boiler
Quote:
What is my wife doing on your bed???