# Massanutten on a Scale of one to ten



## Ridewithme38 (Jul 11, 2011)

Ok, so i booked a 2br for Feb. 18-25 for me and my daughter at Woodstone at Massanutten through RCI, we'll love this place...i thought her mother was going to be able to go also...But she can't make it...Mentioned the trip to my parents and for people that NEVER vacation and only travel for work...they sounded excited about it....(Mom wants to go snowtubing)

But thats what worries me...My parents have never really vacationed anywhere and when they do travel, they are put up at 5 star hotels for work...dad travels alot to DC and San Fransico and working in the media, his company doesn't really skimp on accomodations...Though a Ski resort has to be better then a Drug companies press conference

I know there are some Timeshares that rival the quality of ANY hotel...I also know, from what i've read that Massanutten isn't one of them...But, how do you keep people that are used to 5 star accomodations from turning up their nose at a place like Woodstone at Massanuteen 

What would you rate Woodstone at Massanutten on a scale from 1-10? would it get a 5?


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## AwayWeGo (Jul 11, 2011)

*Woodstone At Massanutten Is Outstanding.*




Ridewithme38 said:


> What would you rate Woodstone at Massanutten on a scale from 1-10? would it get a 5?


We are into timeshares way more than luxury hotels, so I don't know how many hotel star equivalents Woodstone At Massanutten rates. 

As a timeshare, we gave it a rating of 9 (out of 10) based on our weeklong stay there in 2008.  Details are in the TUG _Resort Reviews_ section. 

Others who have stayed there more recently have rated it about the same, or a bit lower.  

Some who rated it way low were mainly honked off at the high-pressure sales program or at other staff shortcomings, rather than expressing dissatisfaction with the timeshare units. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## shoney (Jul 11, 2011)

We stayed at Woodstone a few years ago.  The unit was fine, nothing special, but it was clean!
What I would warn them about is timesharing in general.  For me, I equate it more to borrowing someone's condo rather than a hotel.  Let them know, that they are expected to take out garbage, change toilet paper rolls, no housekeeping what so ever.  That is a big issue for some people.  Also, do not expect luxury bedding and updated fixtures.  There isn't a lobby, with bar and restaurant within an elevator's ride down.  They would more than likely have a long walk or car ride to get to things.  As long as there expectations aren't for a 5* hotel, but a regular condo, I think they will be happy with it.


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## tschwa2 (Jul 11, 2011)

I think it would be an 8 as far as the physical facilities and features at Massanutten.  The main concerns that I have about Massanutten is the sound proofing from unit to unit which is fairly bad at most timeshares.  Another thing I dislike about Massanutten is you have to drive to different locations within the resort as they are not walkable.  This is more of a problem in the summer than winter because in the winter I am used to driving everywhere.

Two other possible concerns.  I have heard the sales pitch is high pressure (again not unusual for a TS) but I've never been to one.  The final thing is that although Massanutten has a lot of recreational opportunities they nickle and dime or $10-$50 you on everything.  Activities that are included at many other resorts have a price tag at Mass.  You need to buy an activities card for each person staying at $99adult/$59 kids (I think) to get the $5 and $10 activities for free and to reduce the price of the higher priced activites.  They do this to keep the MF down but it also keeps the tpu's down for owners and exchangers.  Most exchangers realize to take advantage of the facilities at Massanutten it will cost an additional $75-$250 per person per week.


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## strandlover (Jul 11, 2011)

I would also give Massanutten 8 out of 10.

The point deduction is mainly due to the incessant timeshare sales tactics which start at the moment that you check in.

The best advice that a TUGger gave me was to unplug all the phones when you get to your unit.

That said, it is a peaceful place, plenty to do and the tubing is a lot of fun!


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## selert (Jul 11, 2011)

I agree with mostly everything everyone has said. We went in early April, I think 3 years ago. It was a very reasonable sale price by RCI.
The reason we went: (we were on our way back to Minnesota from 3 months in Florida)
---They have a tour to Washington DC which was reasonably priced. (it turned out to be a pretty long one day bus trip, but if you want to see DC in a hurry, it was worth it)
---They have a nice golf course that at that time of year was reasonably priced (hilly!)
---They are near the Shenandoah Valley. I am a history buff. We spent several interesting days going to Civil War battlefields, which are very well laid out.
We had a 2 bedroom unit which was more than adequate for us. It was not busy there, so no problems with noise or much anything else. I agree with an 8 rating. With the things we did above, we didn't care about restaurants, how far to walk, etc, etc. The scenery in the area is spectacular. We spent a couple days driving thru the parks, along the mountain ridges. 
We then used it on our way home to Minnesota to spend a day each at Antietam and Gettysburg.
I'd go there again without issue, but the price and time of year may have influenced our positive opinion.


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## Ridewithme38 (Jul 11, 2011)

Now what if the amenities weren't part of you ratings?  If you just had to rate the cleanliness and quality of the room?


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## glypnirsgirl (Jul 11, 2011)

I would rate it about a 6 - the cleanliness would be a 10. It was absolutely spotless. Our unit had a fireplace. The kitchen was very nice and well-stocked. The reason that I would rate it a 6? the beds. Awful.

The main thing that I do in a timeshare is sleep and eat. Without a good night's rest, I don't enjoy my stay.

I know that part of my problem is that I am a mattress elitist. I used to sell furniture and mattresses were my specialty. And I have terrible insomnia. So I am picky.

If your parents are able to sleep easily on almost anything, they will love the unit. 

elaine


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## janej (Jul 11, 2011)

Woodstone units are very nice.  They have a huge whirlpool tub that is nicer than any I've seen in hotels.  However, the beddings are just so so.  I think they use all cotton sheets now.  But the blankets are the ones that used by cheap motels.  

Look into activities package for your parents.  I think people tend to enjoy Massanutten more if they do more.  Once you buy a package, you are "forced" to do many included activities.   Many of them (e.g., making fleece hats or hanging glasses) we would not normally pay to do but end up enjoying.


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## Sullco2 (Jul 15, 2011)

If you think back on the points made by your ts salesperson, just the fact that the FAMILY IS TOGETHER is quite enough.  Don't sweat the details. LOL


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## DavidnJudy (Jul 15, 2011)

We love Woodstone - we would give it a 9 out of 10.  It is a timeshare so you are not going to get the hotel service, but it makes up for it with the Kitchen, hot tub, and space in the unit.  We have been there on an exchange or rental for the past three years. My family love it.

There are 2 configurations - Meadows and Casa de Campo. They both have their pluses and minuses.  At Meadows:

http://www.massresort.com/v.php?pg=128

You all stay in one place - but it has a huge living room and a huge hot tub. Love the hot tub in Meadows.

At Casa de campo:

http://www.massresort.com/v.php?pg=129

You  have a lock-out, so you each get your own place.  (This was nice last year when there were 8 of us - two family's of four).  We each had our own place with a kitchen.  The downside would be the family space is not as big AND the hottub is not as big, but still nice.  We took the table from the smaller lockout unit and put it in the larger lockout unit to have one kind of big table for all of us to eat at, then moved it at the end of the trip.

For your size group - Meadows is good. I would give the parents the MASTER bedroom, and you and your daughter would probably have the twin beds.  Casa would also be good, your parents would have a master and you and your daughter.

You can't really go wrong.

On a side note, We will be there the same week. We check in February 17th at Summit. We have never been to Summit and are excited about it.  Summit is closer to the snowtubing but farther from the water park. Woodstone is the opposite. It really doesn't matter either way.

Hopefully Summit will be as nice as Woodstone. We feel we got pampered by Woodstone units for 3 years in a row.

Have a great trip!


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## DavidnJudy (Jul 15, 2011)

Sullco2 said:


> If you think back on the points made by your ts salesperson, just the fact that the FAMILY IS TOGETHER is quite enough.  Don't sweat the details. LOL



Agreed - We love to bring board games and play them.  We don't buy the activity card because there is no discount on tubing, waterpark or horseback riding (at least the weeks we have been there which was always XMAS maybe it is different fror President's day week.)  Those our are activities so no card. Otherwise we go to the pool, play ping pong at rec center, play board games, watch a movie - it is family time.

Some will swear by the activities card, but I don't do it.

What I did do was go to a TS presentation. It lasted about 90 minutes, she knew we already owned 2 TS and weren't buying so it didn't last long.  I was hoping she would show us Regal Vistas but she didn't. We got a free breakfast at the Water Park which was nice   and 4 free tickets to the water park. Which was worth about 150-160 dollars. They still tried to sell us something but we said no.  We don't usually do tours - this was our first in say 5 or 6 years, but with our family coming down we wanted to save them money on the water park.  They appreciated it


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## AveryAlexia (Oct 13, 2011)

DavidnJudy said:


> Agreed - We love to bring board games and play them.  We don't buy the activity card because there is no discount on tubing, waterpark or horseback riding (at least the weeks we have been there which was always XMAS maybe it is different fror President's day week.)  Those our are activities so no card. Otherwise we go to the pool, play ping pong at rec center, play board games, watch a movie - it is family time.
> 
> Some will swear by the activities card, but I don't do it.
> 
> What I did do was go to a TS presentation. It lasted about 90 minutes, she knew we already owned 2 TS and weren't buying so it didn't last long.  I was hoping she would show us Regal Vistas but she didn't. We got a free breakfast at the Water Park which was nice   and 4 free tickets to the water park. Which was worth about 150-160 dollars. They still tried to sell us something but we said no.  We don't usually do tours - this was our first in say 5 or 6 years, but with our family coming down we wanted to save them money on the water park.  They appreciated it



Sorry to ask, but I'm thinking about taking the family out to Massanutten and staying here. I wanted to verify something. I have read about the activity cards but it seems the activity cards you can purchase do not save you anything on snow tubbing or the water park. If you stay at this resort, do you have access to the indoor water park for free or is there a fee? Just trying to figure out the true cost of my trip if i decide to take it. Thanks again and I love this website!!!


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## laura1957 (Oct 13, 2011)

There is a charge for the waterpark, but not the rec centers


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## Helene4 (Oct 17, 2011)

I'd give it a 2. They nickle and dime you for everything. And BEWARE!!!! if you don't strip your bed before you leave there is an $85 fee! :annoyed:


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## DeniseM (Oct 17, 2011)

Please note that the original questions is from July...


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## PigsDad (Oct 17, 2011)

Helene4 said:


> I'd give it a 2. They nickle and dime you for everything. And BEWARE!!!! if you don't strip your bed before you leave there is an $85 fee! :annoyed:


Seriously???  I have never heard of, let alone stayed in a timeshare that charged you if you didn't "clean up" before leaving.  It makes me wonder -- is this more common than I thought?  Is it an east coast thing?  (most of my stays are either Florida or in the West)

I might have to cross Massanutten off my list of potential future stays.

Kurt


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## elaine (Oct 17, 2011)

many TS have check-out requirements--strip beds, empty trash, run DW. I have recently found that most of the hotel TS (Marriott, HGVC, DVC) that I have stayed at do not require this. If you are in the routine, the trash, beds, DW takes about 20 minutes.
My taste is probably more like your parents--though we "slum it" every year  at one TS that is a cabin on a lake. I would give most DVC, HGVC, Marriotts and Haytts a 10. I think Mass is about 7.5, which I would also give to OLCC and Vistana in Orlando and some of the townhouse-style resorts in Hilton Head. I would give Poconos resorts a 6.
I agreee with PP. Just prepare them that it is a ski CONDO vs. a plush hotel and they'll be fine. They are there for fun with the family and great memories to make with their grandchild--something they don't get at the fancy convention hotels.


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## strandlover (Oct 17, 2011)

*Huh?*



Helene4 said:


> I'd give it a 2. They nickle and dime you for everything. And BEWARE!!!! if you don't strip your bed before you leave there is an $85 fee! :annoyed:



Really?  What do you mean by "strip your bed"?  We got up, showered and left.  No such fee.

We were there in March.  Other than the sales calls (resolved by unplugging the phones), everything was very pleasant.


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## Helene4 (Oct 17, 2011)

Strandlover, check your credit card. They took an impression of it when you first checked in. It would show on there. If you got away with it, then good for you! If not, then they will tell you it is in the fine print in the welcome package. It IS...but you have to search for it.

We were there over 4th of July. If not for the fact that my good friend lives "over the mountain" I would have left by the 3rd day.


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## matbec (Oct 17, 2011)

AveryAlexia said:


> Sorry to ask, but I'm thinking about taking the family out to Massanutten and staying here. I wanted to verify something. I have read about the activity cards but it seems the activity cards you can purchase do not save you anything on snow tubbing or the water park. If you stay at this resort, do you have access to the indoor water park for free or is there a fee? Just trying to figure out the true cost of my trip if i decide to take it. Thanks again and I love this website!!!



Hi, AveryAlexia. 

If you look at the Massanutten website, the waterpark rates are posted and you'll see that there are reduced rates if you have an activity card. Also, the link to view what's offered with the activity card can be found here. I'm not sure about the snow tubing rates, as we've never been there in the winter. 

Hope that helps.


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## NTHC (Oct 18, 2011)

I do not believe you could even compare a 5 star hotel to a timeshare resort.  That being said, I believe that the condos are typical of any Gold Crown timeshare resort.  

I think what most vacationers fail to realize is that Massanutten is in itself a town. You would not travel to Myrtle Beach and expect once you get there for everything in the entire town to be included in your stay. You would expect to pay for the local waterpark and the go karts and the mini golf. Most people would not think twice about these additional fees.  Because the "town" of Massanutten appears to be all one entity people expect to get these additional things for free.  That is not a reasonable expectation.

I will say, and I may perhaps have a biased opinion because I have a home there, but there are very few timeshare resorts in the system that offer the same amenties on site. 

JMHO,
Cindy


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## Free2Roam (Oct 18, 2011)

I've stayed a few times in recent years...twice in the last year and I'll be going back early 2012 for a weekend of snow tubing.  I've never stripped beds. And I monitor my credit cards very closely...I've NEVER been charged any extra fees after checkout. 

I agree with NTHC... it's a town within itself. Pay for activities that interest you. If you don't want to spend the extra money, there are things to do that don't cost extra.


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## laura1957 (Oct 18, 2011)

I've been there a couple dozen times over the past 7-8 years.  I always follow the checkout procedures, so I do strip the beds and load the dw - so never have had any additional fee.  As far as the nickel and diming - I am just so glad there is SO much to do there, I dont expect everything to be free.  Why should it be??  I would much rather have it there, and pay for it than to have to drive outside the resort and find it elsewhere.  

I have been there for snow tubing and have received a discount with the activity card, but the discount is not always there - you have to check the current discount guide on the website.  

The bonus card more than pays for itself sometimes - other times not so much for me, but ALWAYS for my husband since he does use the golf discounts. Like the "GO-CARD" we have used in Orlando it causes us to look at things we might not have done otherwise   Free admission to Frontier Culture Museum, one of the caverns, and the Hall of Valor...it has saved us quite a bit of money when we planned to do these things anyway.


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## stugy (Oct 18, 2011)

Just returned 2 days ago from Regal Vistas at Massanutten, a beautiful new resort just past the water park.  It was clearly stated in the check out instructions to strip the bed, including mattress pad and load and run the dishwasher.  Yes, there were fees if tasks were not completed or if you were late checking out.
Pat


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