# Massanutten Advice Needed



## KimR (Jan 27, 2007)

There is a good bit of Massanutten on eBay right now - mostly the Mountainside Villas.  While I understand from the reviews that they're older and not pristine, they sound like very spacious 2BR units in a great resort and area for a low MF.

I found dates on their web site for ski season, but not for golf.  I know it's not completely predictable, but I'm looking for a ballpark estimate.

There is also a lot on RCI Last Call, but it's for everything except Mountainside Villas.  If I stay at Summit and take the tour, will they show me non-Summit units as well?  Can I assume that this resort won't likely be appearing on Last Call when the weather warms up?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Kimberly


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## Kauai Kid (Jan 27, 2007)

Been probably ten years since we stayed there in the summer.  It was an older resort even then, well maintained, a great for relaxing.  I do recall it was a good spot for day drives but not where the action is.

One of the neighboring towns had a Big Band week and everyone from 2-82 was dancing to music from the 40's.  

Very restful, quiet, and a good place to decompress from the rigors of city life.

Sterling


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## teachingmyown (Jan 27, 2007)

We were at Massanutten last February and though I'm not 100% positive, I believe we were in the Mountainside Villas.  I know that we were in one of the oldest sections, with less frills and fringe than the newer units, but what we had (2 bedroom--1 down w/ full kitchen and 1 up w/partial) was plenty spacious for our family of 5.  My goodness...two living rooms, two dining rooms, two bathrooms, two sleeper sofas, two refrigerators, two decks-one with a grill, etc. how much more would we have needed????  The downside?  Our particular unit, though equipped with the plumbing, did not have a washer/dryer.  

As for the tour...my guess is that you can expect to see two or three different units, at least one on the mountain (ski slope view) and one in the valley (golf course view) but don't expect to see the older, less flashy (less lucrative) options until --possibly-- after sitting through at least 2 if not 3 different sales pushes.  One of the very last folks (3rd?, 4th?) who took a shot at us brought out a resale unit to offer. (Don't remember the location or price.  By then we were pretty well glazed over)  

We LOVED Massanutten.  If we didn't live so far away we'd jump on a decently priced resale.  Since I'd want it for using, not for trading, the long drive from Nashville is the deal breaker.


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## Ann-Marie (Jan 27, 2007)

teachingmyown, it sounds like you were in an Eagle Trace Unit.


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## lucillec (Jan 27, 2007)

I just returned from Massanutten today....there was a frost so the courses were not open while we were there...however one of the proshops were open...  i did notice that one street  of the mountainside villas were uninhabited and being renovated.. that may be why they are not available on last call... but i do not know the unit numbers... 
lucille


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## IreneLF (Jan 28, 2007)

We were there ( in Summit) last August 25. 
I'd seen a lot of last calls around that time/earlier in the month  though we traded in.
Resort seemed to be filled with people who took advantage of a cheap last call price and stayed less than the full week. 
In our building of 4 units, one was never occupied and of the other two, one unit stayed for 3 days, the other for 5.  As the week wore on, it was less and less crowded where we were up the mountain. (no cars parked in front of buildings was the clue)
Don't know if this helps for your purposes, but it's my 2¢ worth,


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## KimR (Jan 28, 2007)

*Thanks*

I appreciate the information.  It's hard for me to consider even good deals if I can book a Last Call for less than the MF.  Maybe I'll use a Last Call to get up there and see some different units first hand before I make any moves.


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## markel (Jan 28, 2007)

*Who's facts are straight??*

I just booked at Mountainside Villas unit on Last Call and called the resort to ask the walking distance to Le Club pool complex. They told me it was a 15 minute walk.  Friends of ours who stayed there last year(at least they say it was the Mountainside Villas- mentioned the sauna in unit) and are getting their own unit for this trip say that the pool complex is just across a fairway on the golf course,  only a few hundred yards away???  Something's gotta give !!  Who is correct???

Mark


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## paidemt (Jan 28, 2007)

Mountainside Villas are dual affiliated with both RCI and II.  They are the only units at the resort which can be deposited with II. This fact probably limits the number available through RCI and last call.   They also have different management from the other resorts and even a different check-in location. Some of the units are just across the fairway from the LeClub, but you are not supposed to be walking across that area.  Following the road adds considerable distance.  FYI, I just booked a May week in the Mountainside Villas and had to use a better trading deposit to obtain it than was required to book units in the other resorts.   I guess this means they have higher trading power than the other units.  Even though they are more dated units, I like them because of their layout and size.


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## teachingmyown (Jan 29, 2007)

Ann-Marie said:


> teachingmyown, it sounds like you were in an Eagle Trace Unit.



Well, you piqued my curiosity so I dug up my files...we were in the Shanandoah Villas. We liked them ok.  Great views from the upstairs unit, especially since we were on the uphill side of the parking area.  The parking lot was fairly filled on the weekends, but nearly empty during the week.  We checked in 2/4/06.  Wow.  It's been nearly a year already!  I'd go back tomorrow if we could.


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## #1 Vacationer (Feb 6, 2007)

I've been wondering about Massenuttan.  In the RCI magazine they advertise an new indoor water park but I'm wondering which resort does it belong to or if we stay at any Massenuttan resort can we use the water park without paying more?
Any recommendations for any of the Massenuttan resort are also welcomed.


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## SBK (Feb 7, 2007)

The waterpark is just outside the entrance to the timeshare complex and is open to the public.  When we were there last spring, there was a slight discount if you were staying at one of of the timeshares.  If I remember correctly, over the summer people were saying that there was no discount unless you bought the activity card.  I may not be correct on this.

You can find plenty of information at http://www.massresort.com/

We have only stayed in the Summit.  We prefer the older units -- Friday check in -- because they are larger than the new ones.  We also prefer the upper units.  They have the full kitchen and a larger kitchen area.  The upper unit cantilevers out over the lower unit and the windows in the lower unit kitchen area get no direct sunlight.  The lower unit does have a gas grill, though.


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## bscarlett (Feb 9, 2007)

We stayed in the Summit Units last July.  We had an upstairs unit which I believe is a little bit bigger than the downstair unit.  It had a full kitchen, jacuzzi tub in the bathroom, and a balcony. It seemed spacious enough for our family of four. You will have to drive to everything if you stay up there but it seemed to me you probably had to drive everywhere no mattter where you stayed - there we no units really close to the rec center that I saw.  A fifteen minute walk is probably right for the Woodstone units.  There are two pools up on the mountain as well if you stay at the summit.  

We got a small discount at the waterpark for staying at Massanutten - you get a larger discount if you buy the activity card but we didn't feel it was worth it for our family of four to spend the $300 for activity cards.  The only way I see it being worth it is if you golf or plan to live at the resort and do numerous activites there.  We spent most of our time in Shenandoah national Park.


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## wackymother (Feb 9, 2007)

So...Massanutten is all one gigantic resort with different areas? So staying in any timeshare at Massanutten allows you to buy your way into the waterpark? 
  
If you're not staying at a timeshare, can you buy your way into the waterpark?


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## CMF (Feb 9, 2007)

*The Waterpark is Open to the Public*

I think I read somewhere that you get a discount if staying at one of the resorts.

Waterpark

Charles


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## bscarlett (Feb 9, 2007)

Anybody can go to the waterpark.  If you are not staying at the resort it is full price.  You get a small sicount if you are staying at the resort and I believe it was half price if you bought the activity card.  At least that was how it was last summer when we went.


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## wackymother (Feb 9, 2007)

Thanks for the waterpark info. So are all the resorts part of one giant resort? 

It is like Shawnee, where all the different areas are still part of Shawnee, just built at different times in different styles and different places around the same area?


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## CMF (Feb 9, 2007)

*No*

At least Mountainside Villas are a separate resort.  They share the Massanutten name because that's the name of the mountain [that's what I was told anyways].

Charles


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## wackymother (Feb 9, 2007)

CMF said:


> At least Mountainside Villas are a separate resort.  They share the Massanutten name because that's the name of the mountain [that's what I was told anyways].
> 
> Charles



Oh, darn. I thought I was having a breakthrough in my understanding of Massanutten. So is anybody familiar with all the different resorts? Which are the great ones and which are the not-so-great ones?


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## CMF (Feb 9, 2007)

*Did you look at the reviews?*

I've also read a lot about Massanutten and have a hard time keeping it straight.  I remember that the Mountainside Villas are older and they exchange through II.  I think the rest are RCI. 

Charles


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## SBK (Feb 9, 2007)

*The Massanutten concept is like Shawnee*

The Massanutten timeshare complex is very much like Shawnee.  All of the timeshare developments share the amenities, which are quite extensive and well run -- some are better priced than others.  The many folks who live on the mountain in their wonderful private homes may also buy into the amenities.

Take a look at the web site to find out more.

http://www.massresort.com/


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