Timesharetalk Forum - Resort Write-Up - (Resorts U to Z)

White Sands Beach Club

Doggy50k@timesharetalk.co.uk — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:11:40 +0100

Resort: White Sands Beach Club, Via Ronda ZH3, Arenal D'en Castell, 07740 Es Mercadal, Menorca, Spain
Date of Visit: July/August 2009
Ages of party: 1 mid 50�s, 2 mid 40�s, 1 Mid 20's + 2 pre-teens
Exchange Company: This is a Diamond Resorts International Resort so can be exchanged into through Interval International

Web Link:
http://www.diamondresorts.com/europe/White-Sands-Beach-Club

Unit numbers and sizes:
http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11291

General description:
The White Sands Beach Club is situated in a prime location on the edge of the Beach in the popular but quiet Resort of Arenal D'en Castell

Location:

The resort sits at the bottom of a small looped road at the very end of Arenal D'en Castell and has a number of resorts in close vicinity which are used by UK tour companies.

The area is generally quiet and is not the resort for you if you are looking for late rowdy boozy nights out, or banana boats being dragged along by speedboats.

There are an awful lot of steps around the resort which in the heat could be a problem for those with health issues, however there is a slope down from the road almost to the doorway of unit 702 which is why that unit is generally reserved for people with disabilities.

[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/doggy50k/200981182016_WSB.jpg[/img]

Reception:

The Reception is a short walk from the road, and is usually accessed from the third entrance along the road. It is now open 24 hours, and the staff and cleaners are so efficient that even without requesting it, early check in's can be made (but don't go there simply expecting it).

We were asked for credit card details on arrival but this was not a problem. The staff were all polite, well mannered and very welcoming.

Accommodation:

We had a 2-bed unit 6714 which consisted of a double bedroom, a twin bedroom, a bathroom, living area and kitchen area. The living area / dining area / kitchen was open plan. The kitchen consisted of a 4-ring halogen hob, electric oven and fridge freezer. There was a 2 bowled sink, a wall mounted microwave oven, filter coffee machine and kettle. No problems catering for all 6 as there were plates etc to spare but the lack of a dishwasher meant good old fashioned washing up after each meal.

The lounge area had a coffee table with a sofa bed and two wicker chairs, this area was a squeeze for 6 for but the open plan layout helped - we often used one of the dining chairs.

In addition to this there was a digital TV and a DVD player.

The Double bedroom was well laid out with plenty of storage - by opening the windows but locking the shutters we were able to keep this room cool for mid day siesta's

The bathroom was large and roomy.

Overall the unit was well maintained but appeared a little tired. It has not yet been refurbished.

Facilities:

There were no "Leisure facilities" in the form of a gym etc but there is a fantastic "Infinity" swimming pool and a small Jacuzzi.

All the sun-beds around the pool have been replaced with new brown ones which are far more comfortable. It was good to see the lifeguard removing the towels of those who still think they can reserve sun-beds.

[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/doggy50k/20098118153_WSBC1.JPG[/img]

The Restaurant �Whites Bar� has a daily menu as well as a fuller menu. The daily menu was a 3 course meal for 12.50 (Euros). The choice in the main menu was extensive for a small restaurant and they were decent sized portions - three times a week there were specials on for which you had to book - a paella demo, roast lamb and suckling pig - details were put on the boards regarding booking a day or two before. The local Grog was about 3 Euros a pint.

There is plenty of car parking available but the excessive cost of hire cars is probably the cause - we were quoted (and this was the cheapest we could find) just under �900 for a fortnight.

Other comments:

The grounds are well kept and the gardener seem to be constantly busy.

There are a couple of local moggies but they do not generally pester you for food as they are well fed by their owners.

The reception has Internet access and we were charged 6 Euros for a week but they didn't change the password for the second week. I would like to see this become free as it is only available in the reception area.

There was cleaning done virtually every day and towels were changed at least once during the week. The cleaners were a little over efficient on the Friday mid-way through our stay and we lost my daughters teddy bear for virtually the whole week - that said though, the staff were calm and efficiently dealt with the issue. When the laundry came back on the Wednesday the bear was promptly returned.

There is a small play area for younger children with various climbing objects.

Noise:
There was little noise from other residents generally from things like Karaoke at the bar - some people really just shouldn't!

Walking:
It is a short walk to Son Parc which is out of the resort then turn right - there is a track through the scrub-land which is signposted all the way as it is their equivalent of a bridleway. There is a guided walk if you dont fancy trying it by yourself. The beach at Son Parc is gently shelving but very popular - worth a visit though.

There is also another short walk in the other direction to the local fishing village, but if you have tree pollen related hay-fever - take strong anti-histamines!

Overall view:
This was our third time there in 6 years we love it and will return again.

Woodford Bridge Country Club, England

tonyc@timesharetalk.co.uk — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:04:44 +0100

There are 4 replies, with the last one on 18/01/2008 at 23:04:44 by tonyc
Quote:
Returned this afternoon from a 4-night break at Woodford Bridge. Cost 875 points for a one-bedroom lodge - yes, thats 8 and three-quarter points in old money. The shop was closed and will remain so until Monday 28 Jan and, needless to say, just about everything at the nearby resorts (eg. Bude) is closed for the winter. The weather was - as everyone in the country knows - incredibly wet. After it all decanted on the south-west I found it incredible that there was sufficient in them, there clouds to swamp the rest of the country.
So, nothing going on and the weather was diabolical. And yet, we had four great nights away at one of the prettiest resorts in the country. It is ideal at this time of year for the 50+ brigade with no children to entertain. However, I feel for any members who descend on Woodford Bridge with young children in tow because it will be an uneviable task entertaining the youngsters if this weather continues. Woodford Bridge is idyllic for those happy to feed the ducks and peacocks, use the indoor swimming pool and pass the time away in the bar or Thatcher's Restaurant with occasional trips to the Fish and Chip shop and Somerfields for provisions (both are 7 miles away in Holsworthy). It is not for children!

Yucca Park, Costa Adeje, Tenerife, Spain

neil1702@timesharetalk.co.uk — Tue, 22 May 2007 20:06:13 +0100

Resort: Yucca Park
Location: Playa Fanabe, Costa Adeje, Tenerife
Exchange Company: Interval International
Contact Information: +34 922 712 270
Date of visit: March 2007
Ages of party: 2 x 70, 2 x 30s, 3 x 5 and under

[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/heather/2007522195738_yucca1.jpg[/img]

Description of Unit
We were in one of the few 2 bed, sleep 6 units in the resort and had a lovely balcony view over the swimming pool, directly opposite the main entrance. There were 7 of us but as the youngest was less than 2 years old he went in a cot in the twin bedroom with the other two kids. The other bedroom had a double bed and we were on the sofa bed in the living area.
There was one bathroom and an extra toilet. Reasonably adequate.
The living area was relatively small, especially for the seven of us, as it comprised a small kitchen, breakfast bar with seating for four and the sofa bed. We had to do breakfasts in shifts or split between the kitchen and the balcony. Not too much of a problem of an evening as we tended to eat out.
In terms of the facilities, the basics were there so no real complaints, just none of the added luxuries we've experienced elsewhere. Maintenance was a little lacking as we had to report a number of lightbulbs that had gone and the sideboard in the living area had doors that would not close properly.
Housekeeping was good.

[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/heather/2007522195820_yucca 2.jpg[/img]

Resort Ameneities
Swimming pool was very nice, albeit not heated. There was supposed to be a policy of no hogging the sunbeds but we regularly saw this being ignored - in fact there was one couple who came out every morning, put there towels on sunbeds then disappeared, came back around lunchtime for an hour or so, disappeared again then came back about 5pm to get their towels. I nearly dumped their towels in the pool one day!
The onsite bar was ok if a little pricey. I would recommend taking a short stroll to find somewhere else to eat or even just downstairs to the on-site supermarket to buy your own. I didn;t think anyone could get a hamburger so wrong!
Staff were very friendly and very helpful and the place was kept very clean.

Local Area
Playa Fanabe was great for us. The beach was only a short walk away (200 yards max) and there were loads of restaurants within walking distance that catered for all sizes of wallet. We spent most days on the beach, having lunch at one of the beachside bars (Loch Ness most days as it had a kids pirate ship outside for the kids to play on) then going back to the resort and either going out for dinner (Pizza Banana and a chines whose name escapes me were particular highlights) or eating in (Roys takeaway is highly recommended by us - a choice of pizza or curry delivered to your door)
We didn't do much sightseeing due to the age of our kids but we did find a great indoor play centre and crazy golf for the kids at Shopping Del Duque. My in-laws did go on a tour of the island for 9 Euros including lunch, which was great value as long as you didn't mind sitting through the bed sales pitch halfway through (they assure me it wasn't hard sell).
As this resort was so close to the beach we did not have to endure any of the steep slopes that are common in this area so that was a bonus. We aso found that Playa Fanabe is a very quiet area even though it is right next door to Playa de las Americas. In fact quite a few times I stood on our balcony at 10 or 11 at night and just enjoyed the peace and quiet with a glass of wine in my hand.

All in all we had a great two weeks holiday and we would definitely go back to Playa Fanabe again. We would also stay at Yucca Park again but that would only be if we couldn't get into one of the other resorts in the same area like Sunset Beach or Parque del Sol.

Vacation Village at Bonaventure - USA

tonyg@timesharetalk.co.uk — Mon, 01 May 2006 17:01:06 +0100

There are 1 replies, with the last one on 01/05/2006 at 17:01:06 by tonyg
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Windermere Marina Village, Lake District, England

heather@timesharetalk.co.uk — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 23:53:55 +0100

Resort Name: Windermere Marina Village
Location: Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, England
Main Trading Company: RCI
Date of Visit: early May, 2005
Ages of Party: sixties

We arrived by train in Windermere on a lovely day in early May, 2005. This was our third week of a three week visit to England and Scotland. We took a taxi to the marina, about a ten minute ride from Windermere
station out to Bowness.

[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/heather/2006327201017_IMG_0483.JPG[/img]

Our cottage was #1, one of only a few without a lake view but with a view instead over a little creek running off the lake. There is a map on the marina website which shows the positioning of the cottages so we were prepared for what could have been a disappointing location..

The unit itself was more than adequate for two couples. At entry level there are two bedrooms and two bathrooms. One bathroom is off the hall and one is off the master bedroom. Both bedrooms are small with the second bedroom giving little room around the bed but adequate still. There is a dresser and closet in each room. Upstairs is the living room, dining room and kitchen. There is a balcony off the living room which is comfortaly furnished and well lit. The dining room has a table for six and a buffet and hutch holding glassware. The kitchen is well equipped with the usual appliances all in excellent condition. The whole unit was in above average condition with little evidence of wear and tear. Our biggest problem was controlling the heat as we are not accustomed to individual room controls like we experienced in Englnad and Scotland. We knew we were paying for the heat so we tried to be reasonable. I can't remember the exact cost but at the end of the week it was about 20 GBP.

[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/heather/200631414554_IMG_0527.JPG[/img]
Dining Room set for dinner

[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/heather/200631414630_IMG_0541.JPG[/img]
Kitchen

[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/heather/200631415743_IMG_0542.JPG[/img]

The resort is a large complex of owned and timeshared cottages with a central marina and restaurant. We used the restaurant the first night and found it to be reasonably priced with a limited but passable menu. It has an outdoor patio where we had drinks and dinner. We also picked up a few essentials at the tiny convenience store on site. We placed an order at the store for a daily newspaper which we picked up every morning. There was a large selection of papers to choose from.

We were there without a car as our commitment was to doing the whole trip on planes, trains, buses and taxis. No one was going to drive and miss the view! To that end we had arranged for a personal full day guided tour of the whole district on our first day. (I will note the name of the guide when I dig it up) This turned out to be a good plan as after the overview, we had a better sense of what spots beckond us to return.
[img]http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum/uploaded/heather/200632720229_IMG_0500.JPG[/img]

The guide provided lunch and let us walk around a few towns like Keswick on our own. This tour and the one that we took to the Yorkshire Dales was arranged and paid for ahead of time on the Internet. The guide took us to a grocery store in Windermere on our way home where we stocked up on provisions for the week. It was good to have the transportation to lug everything home.

During the balance of the week we explored a different location each day. We went by local bus, ferry and foot. (Mainly the latter!) Some of the highlights were:

- the town of Windermere with its shops, pubs, (notably The Hole in the Wall) and of course the view of the lake. This is about a 10 minute walk from the marina
- walking tours around various lakes, the most memorable of which was the walk around Derwent Water. We headed across the lake on a ferry that dropped us off any where we chose and was supposed to pick us up at any of about 5 docks around the lake. No problem, right? Walk as far as you chose and then ride back. Wrong!!! The ferries seemd to disappear, the weather became cloudy and then ominous. For what seemed like an eternity we walked and walked. Finally, soaked to the skin, we stood on a dock with another couple and stood our ground until the ferry finally came by. It took us back to town, then to the bus to Windermere and then the walk (did I mention this was uphill?) home. The friends who were staying with us were actually ready to call the police to report us lost. They were quite worried and we were exhaustd. There was lots of wine and warm food consumed that night.
- Beatrix Potter's cottage across the lake by ferry and then about a 1 1/2 hour walk. This was a most pleasant walk across farmers' fields and through hamlets. These trails are well signed and maintained by The National Trust. I will post pictures under my name in the media gallery of this and other walks. If you look at it, be prepared to see more than a few sheep!
- a one day bus tour to the Yorkshire Dales which, also quick, gave us an idea of the countryside and wetted our appetite to return.

I will end this now by saying that Windermere Marina Village is a comfortable place to stay with hospitable staff, great facilities and an unbeatable location.

Please Read - How to qualify for points or prize

Timesharetalk@timesharetalk.co.uk — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 19:33:47 +0100

If you are looking to enter the free prize draw, a resort write-up must meet the following requirements -

or

If you are a supporting member, a resort write-up must meet the following requirements to qualify for the points -

1. Topic heading must be in the format of -

Resort Name, Country

2. The write-up must start with -

Resort Name:
Location:
Exchange Company:
Contact Information: (phone, web site if available)
Date of Visit:
Ages of party:

3. Information in the resort write-up must include (but is not limited to) -

a) Description of unit, size, comfort, amenities, maintenance, housekeeping and whether this would be typical of all others.

b) The resort itself, amenities, activities, staff quality, maintenance.

c) The local area, restaurants, sightseeing, beaches, amusements for children, accessibility to above.

d) Pictures, either personal, or taken from another site.

Once the write-up has been approved, it will be released for general public view and the points will be added. You will also be granted access to the 'Competition Prize Room' so you can select and enter the prize draw of your choice. For any questions, please contact the moderator or site admin.

Wychnor Park Country Club, Staffordshire, England

n/a@timesharetalk.co.uk — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 20:04:39 +0100

There are 4 replies, with the last one on 25/02/2006 at 20:04:39 by n/a
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Tropic Leisure Club, St. Thomas, USVI

n/a@timesharetalk.co.uk — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 21:32:40 +0100

Resort: Tropic Leisure Club, St. Thomas, USVI
Trades with: RCI
Date of Visit:November 12-19, 2005
Ages of Party: 69

The Tropic Leisure Club is on the Atlantic side of St. Thomas close to Magans Bay and a part of the Magans Point Resort. Captain Cook hid his ships near here and sat up on the hill to watch for Spanish ships in the old days. RCI gave us the exchange for a week in November, 2005.

A car is necessary, driving on the left, to reach the resort from the airport or take an expensive taxi. Our plane arrived late at night and the staff stayed until midnight to let us into our condo. We were given a studio with full kitchen and bath but promised a one bedroom, so the staff gave us two studios side by side. Our company could not come but this would have been perfect if they had come as expected.

The resort is on a hill with an outdoor pool and an excellent view of the Caribbean. Magans Bay and Park has an extensive beach which was not crowded when we were there but has an entrance fee and is located a mile or so downhill from the resort. The resort is quiet and well maintained by the owner who loves black cats. So do I.

This is a less crowded part of St. Thomas but anywhere on the island is accessible by car or tour, which the staff can arrange.
Don't miss the liquored ice cream smoothies shop next door but lower on the hill.

Westin St. John, USVI

n/a@timesharetalk.co.uk — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 18:28:52 +0100

Resort: Westin St. John
Trades with: Interval and Starwood
Date of Visit: once every year
Ages of Party: varies each year but from 5 to 70

Flights land on St. Thomas because St. John is 2/3 national park and there is no room for an airport in all the hills. Rent a car, driving is on the left, or take a taxi to the ferry in Charlotte Amalie or Red Hook. Red Hook has a car ferry to St. John also. Check the web for schedules ahead of a visit. The ferry ride is striking and very short, less than half an hour but who counts when you are looking at the scenery. A taxi will take you across the hill to the next bay to the Westin grounds starting at the large reception center on the hill.

Timeshare units are across the road with three bedrooms in the valley and other units up the hill with splendid views of Cruz Bay from the balcony and small pool. A golf cart shuttle called an iguana runs every fifteen minutes and will take you anywhere on the resort. Real iguanas may be sighted and are fed daily on the beach. The huge free form pool and beach attract visitors from the hotel units as well as timeshare. There are three restaurants, a deli, shops, a scuba shop, and tour shop on the resort. A small grocery is just outside the resort entrance and a large supermarket halfway into town.[:)]

For kids there is a kids pool, a large supervised room with play equipment, supervised games in the pool, a trampoline in the bay plus paddle boats and videos. The fitness center is large and well equipped as are the tennis courts with pro. Taxis will take you into town for restaurants and shopping.

But the best part are the beaches, by taxi or the more remote beaches by your car. Each beach is different, extensive and interesting, especially the one with an underwater trail. Snorkeling is good and so is scuba diving.

Take a catamaran tour to the British VI - Virgin Gorda, snorkeling or a sail! With a passport. Take the ferry back to St. Thomas for sightseeing or shopping. Exchanges are hard to get but after our first we bought. After eight trips we have yet to feel ho hum about a visit. In a two bedroom plus hideaway bed with three full bathrooms and a small pool next door, we have no difficulty finding family or friends to go with us. The units are exceptionally well maintained along with the grounds and pools. Three bedroom units have a small wall enclosed pool of their own.

The staff is pleasant and come immediately in answer to any problem. They even give you a ride between iguanas. My biggest problem is the week which seems like only a couple days.

Vilar Do Golf, Algarve, Portugal

Mavo@timesharetalk.co.uk — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 13:33:26 +0100

There are 2 replies, with the last one on 14/11/2005 at 13:33:26 by Mavo
Quote: