[ 2012 ] Ocean Sands Reviews Legit?

I'm thinking of buying a unit at the Ocean Sands, Virginia Beach to use and exchange.

I've been reading reviews from vacationers on various sites and they seem to me a little fluffy. Most of the recent reviews are four and five star. There are numerous mentions of employees in the reviews.

The resort has been renovated recently but I get a funny feeling that the reviews may be planted.

Has anyone been there recently? Is it a 4 or 5 star resort? do you think the reviews are legit?

Is the no balcony a major negative? Is the covered pool a negative (I prefer sun and shade) ?

Wow, good observation of the reviews. Recently I was reading the reveiws thinking this would be a good time share too. But, I did not pick up on making the reviews fluffy. I also await to hear what Tugers will say.

I stayed in Ocean Key about a year and a half ago. They are managed by the same company VSA or VSI. They have remodeled and the rooms look much better than some of the old pictures. They are working really hard to get there ratings up. They have employees meet you at your car when you check in to help you get you bags onto the carts and up to your room. They strongly encourage you to attend an "update" and even though they are trying to sell they are pushing equally hard or harder to get you to complete ratings cards giving them 4 (out of 4 stars). Although it wouldn't surprise me if the employees pad with their own reviews.

What I don't like about the Sands is no balcony even in the ocean front side of the resort. The pool is also clean but very small and standard. I think summer months would be good traders but the units are old and small with fresh paint, new furniture, tv's and nice bedding and decent customer service oriented employees (for the most part) but not what people traditionally think of when you say 4 and 5 star accommodations.

It is a converted motel and I think they enclosed the original balconys to increase the room size. It is probably the only T/S or hotel on the boardwalk without balconys. If a northeast wind blows the salt air on the windows you may not even be able to see the ocean. A good summer week may trade well to someone not familiar with the resort but I would not want to stay there.

We stayed there 2 years ago. Definately not 4-5*. The one bedroom is very small and crapped if you have more than 2 people. Based on the structure, it appears to me that it used to be a studio with balcony and they extended the room into the balcony and putting up a partition and calling it a one bedroom. It is clean with newer furnishing. That's about it. We prefer other resorts.

rating cards and "extra services"?

I've never filled out rating cards in the past, I plan on doing it from now on.

Do people hand the rating cards to the resort management or is the form mailed to rci? Is the postage included (just wondering)?


The latest review on tug for the Ocean Sands is interesting. I pulled a line from the review :

" it was a great vacation for me since my husband didn't come and it was me alone with 3 kids "

The hotel staff must be really taking care of the guests. :whoopie:

Wow, I hadn't considered "planted" reviews, but.....

swj said:

I'm thinking of buying a unit at the Ocean Sands, Virginia Beach to use and exchange.

I've been reading reviews from vacationers on various sites and they seem to me a little fluffy. Most of the recent reviews are four and five star. There are numerous mentions of employees in the reviews.

The resort has been renovated recently but I get a funny feeling that the reviews may be planted.

Has anyone been there recently? Is it a 4 or 5 star resort? do you think the reviews are legit?

Is the no balcony a major negative? Is the covered pool a negative (I prefer sun and shade) ?

Click to expand...

...if you go on Trip Advisor, the reviews are really good since the renovation. Same for Ocean Key, which I had noted a few months back. I have always found Trip Advisor reviews to be all over the place from great to terrible. I was just at Ocean Key in December for an Owners Update and thought the renovations really improved the place.

I always thought that I would never buy or stay at Ocean Sands due to no balconies, but I found a summer week for a giveaway price and am now an owner. I have not stayed there yet or been to the resort.

The reviews on Trip Advisor for both of these resorts seem almost too good to be true.

As far as 4 or 5 star, I don't think so. I'll be staying at Ocean Sands (maybe) at the end of September on an exchange. I guess I'll find out then what the real deal is with these reviews. I'm expecting big things based on the most recent reviews.

You also have to keep in mind that 4 and 5 star reviews does not mean that people are saying the resort is 4 or 5 star. There are no 4-5 star resorts in Poconos area and maybe 1 or 2 in Virginia beach. So when travelers book Ocean Sands/Ocean Key/Atrium resort (all 3 are VSA resorts), they know what they are booking: nice properties, reasonable maintenance fees, nice locations, reasonable luxury, clean, etc. (they are not expecting Westin, Marriott, Hyatt luxury). Giving 4 or 5 star ratings means that those expectations were met.

Most luxury/star conscious travelers stay away from Virginia beach altogether.
I own all 3 of them. Summer weeks have good trading values and they also rent well.

Good points and spot on!

sjuhawk_jd said:

You also have to keep in mind that 4 and 5 star reviews does not mean that people are saying the resort is 4 or 5 star. There are no 4-5 star resorts in Poconos area and maybe 1 or 2 in Virginia beach. So when travelers book Ocean Sands/Ocean Key/Atrium resort (all 3 are VSA resorts), they know what they are booking: nice properties, reasonable maintenance fees, nice locations, reasonable luxury, clean, etc. (they are not expecting Westin, Marriott, Hyatt luxury). Giving 4 or 5 star ratings means that those expectations were met.

Most luxury/star conscious travelers stay away from Virginia beach altogether.
I own all 3 of them. Summer weeks have good trading values and they also rent well.

Click to expand...

I own at several resorts in Virginia Beach because I live in the area, and use them for drive-to vacations, to enjoy various festivals, rent out or put family members in when they visit the area. Ocean Beach Club is the newest resort in Virginia Beach. I own there also. I haven't stayed there yet, but it's supposed to be a "luxury" resort (many reviews indicate otherwise). However, my favorite resort is right next door at Four Sails. It is a very basic resort. It is not luxury, but we love it. The staff is always great. The location is perfect. Everything is always clean. The accommodations meet our needs. This resort always gets great reviews. It gets 4-5 stars because "expectations were met." As stated, Virginia Beach, in general, is not luxury. It's got a great oceanfront that seems to improve a bit every year.

"Summer weeks have good trading values and they also rent well." Absolutely correct.

sjuhawk_jd said:

You also have to keep in mind that 4 and 5 star reviews does not mean that people are saying the resort is 4 or 5 star. There are no 4-5 star resorts in Poconos area and maybe 1 or 2 in Virginia beach. So when travelers book Ocean Sands/Ocean Key/Atrium resort (all 3 are VSA resorts), they know what they are booking: nice properties, reasonable maintenance fees, nice locations, reasonable luxury, clean, etc. (they are not expecting Westin, Marriott, Hyatt luxury). Giving 4 or 5 star ratings means that those expectations were met.

Most luxury/star conscious travelers stay away from Virginia beach altogether.
I own all 3 of them. Summer weeks have good trading values and they also rent well.

Click to expand...

I should have said does this resort merit four or five stars.

I would think if expectations are met , a 3 star resort should get a 3 star review.

The maintenance fees for a 2 BR summer week are over $900 - I think this is high for a 3 star quality resort.

Why do they charge more for summer weeks vs non summer weeks. Didn't the summer weeks cost more to begin with. Aren't they making money on rentals in the summer. Are they trying to nudge the summer owners out with higher fees so they can rent the units?

Is VSA an owner friendly group?

The reviews in the past have been average to below average. Now that they can rent units on a multitude of sites they have fixed up the place.

I own a week at Ocean Sands and a week at Four Sails. I like them both for different reasons, although I would not characterize either as "luxury". My unit at the Four Sails has a double balcony stretching across both the living room and bedroom, which is very nice to have. As stated by others, the Sands does not have balconies, but that is the only real drawback for me.

I like the location of both resorts, the very friendly and helpful staff, and the fact that they have on-site restaurants if I don't feel like going out. One advantage for the Sands and their two sister resorts is that they have several activities that you can participate in, including van trips to Norfolk, the lighthouse, Town Square (for shopping , a comedy club, or dining), and they are either free or incur a nominal charge. My favortite VB breakfast spot (Doc Taylor's) is across the street from the Sands.

Best of all, I got both on resale for a few dollars and the maintenance fees are very low compared to other properties I own.

swj said:

I should have said does this resort merit four or five stars.

I would think if expectations are met , a 3 star resort should get a 3 star review.

The maintenance fees for a 2 BR summer week are over $900 - I think this is high for a 3 star quality resort.

Why do they charge more for summer weeks vs non summer weeks. Didn't the summer weeks cost more to begin with. Aren't they making money on rentals in the summer. Are they trying to nudge the summer owners out with higher fees so they can rent the units?

Is VSA an owner friendly group?

The reviews in the past have been average to below average. Now that they can rent units on a multitude of sites they have fixed up the place.

Click to expand...

I think you need to get your facts correct.

Can you move the conversation forward? What are the facts?

I believe the 2BRs at Ocean Sands that you refer to for $900 are (2) 1BR lock-outs

swj said:

I should have said does this resort merit four or five stars.

I would think if expectations are met , a 3 star resort should get a 3 star review.

The maintenance fees for a 2 BR summer week are over $900 - I think this is high for a 3 star quality resort.

Why do they charge more for summer weeks vs non summer weeks. Didn't the summer weeks cost more to begin with. Aren't they making money on rentals in the summer. Are they trying to nudge the summer owners out with higher fees so they can rent the units?

Is VSA an owner friendly group?

The reviews in the past have been average to below average. Now that they can rent units on a multitude of sites they have fixed up the place.

Click to expand...

That would be about double the 1BR MF. I own a dedicated 2BR at Ocean Key (VSA). The MF is about $100 more than the 1BR; however, the 2BR lock-out is in the same range you quoted for Ocean Sands.

I agree that the $900 is high for that resort and would never consider the 2BR lock-out and its accompanying MF. I find their MFs reasonable for the 1BR and the dedicated 2BR, but not the 2BR lock-out.

I am unaware of MFs being higher for summer weeks vs. non-summer weeks.

I have never had any problems with VSA Resorts. They have assisted me whenever I have needed assistance.

sjuhawk_jd said:

I think you need to get your facts correct.

Click to expand...

I am unaware of MFs being higher for summer weeks vs. non-summer weeks

swj said:

Can you move the conversation forward? What are the facts?

Click to expand...

My comments may not address those incorrect "facts", but I hope this assists you with your research.

I did a quick search on lockouts in Virginia Beach and Ocean Sands is the highest.

Ocean Sands $920


Turtle Cay $780
Villas at Boardwalk $680

Both of these resorts are the highest rated in II

What's up with that?

You could call VSA's owner services and pose that question.

swj said:

I did a quick search on lockouts in Virginia Beach and Ocean Sands is the highest.

Ocean Sands $920


Turtle Cay $780
Villas at Boardwalk $680

Both of these resorts are the highest rated in II

What's up with that?

Click to expand...

I've never cared to go that far to question why it's so high. I know I'm not willing to pay it. I have a 2BR lock-out at Ocean Beach Club (newest timeshare on the beach). It went up to $745 this year from $691.

To me, it really doesn't matter why, just that it is. I don't care if it was a Prime Holiday Summer week and someone wanted to give it to me. Ocean Sands would not merit that maintenance fee in my book. There isn't a timeshare in Virginia Beach that merits that maintenance fee in my opinion, except maybe an Oceanfront 3BR Penthouse at Ocean Beach Club. But it would have to be a July week and I would have to be able to buy it at a really "smokin'" price. JMO

eBay auction for wk 32 VSA Atrium - Same deal as Ocean Sands

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Atrium-Reso...80817442433?pt=Timeshares&hash=item4162061e81

I could not imagine paying that kind of MF for the Atrium. But folks do buy them and are willing to pay those MFs. At least Ocean Sands is oceanfront, albeit no balconies.

I own lock-outs at various resorts and a 2BR lock-out has different configurations at each of them. The MFs range from having the same MF as the dedicated 2BR units to just about $100 more than a 1BR. On the Outer Banks, each side of the lock-out has 1BR; however, the A side has a full kitchen and an extra half bath. In VA Beach, I have a 2BR lock-out that is 1BR on one side and a studio on the other. The 1BR has a full kitchen and the studio has a mini kitchen. The MF for the 2BR lock-out is not double the MF of a 1BR.

The 2BR lock-outs at the VSA resorts are two identical 1BR units with a door in-between. I guess they figure that it is the same cost to maintain both sides of the 2BR lock-out as it is to maintain two 1BR units, so they double the MF.

IMO, the VSA resorts are not of a quality to charge such a high MF. The 1BR and 2BR non-lock-out units have reasonable MFs, but not the lock-outs.

Virginia Beach Ocean Sands or Four Sails exchanges on RCI

Anyone have any good luck with exchanges for Ocean Sands or Four Sails on RCI? I'm thinking about buying one of these timeshares and would like to know what people have exchanged these for. If I buy either it will be a red week.

I own week 22 at Ocean Sands. It's gotten 23-25 TPUs the past few years. But I never deposit... if I can't use my week I deposit to their in-house exchange program. They even let you break your week into shorter stays (for a fee... and there are some limitations depending on the week you own).

They will be adding balconies beginning this fall... scheduled to be completed by spring... and there was a special assessment that was due July 1. Make sure the assessment is paid before you buy!

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malmit said:

Anyone have any good luck with exchanges for Ocean Sands or Four Sails on RCI? I'm thinking about buying one of these timeshares and would like to know what people have exchanged these for. If I buy either it will be a red week.

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Exchanged to Four Sails over Christmas week 2000. We used either our 1bdr week 6 in Myrtle Beach or our 2bdr week 26 in Englewood Beach. We had moved to FL that summer and it was the first Christmas after my mother passed away. It's the only place we've stayed in Va. Beach and it's on the top of my short "NEVER Go There Again" list. I wrote a review, but as a guest you can't access it. Three of the problems we had out of the two units we had were:
wet carpet in living room from an broken ice maker line that had been leaking so long that black mold was 2 feet high behind the 'fridge;
bent sliding door frame in master bdr that would not allow slider to close all the way leaving a gap (it snowed that night);
2 nd unit had condensation on the windows that was so bad it was running onto the floor.
Instead of staying the full week, we left early. We couldn't stand it anymore.
It was a long time ago and I hope things have gotten better. BTW, the parking lot is really cramped.