[ 2011 ] Samoset Resort Renovations

[AgelessTravel]

Has anyone been to Samoset recently? The photos in RCI are very different from the resort website. The rooms look dated in RCI and look newly renovated on their website? Have the timeshare units been renovated or just the hotel rooms?

 

[theo]

My $0.02 worth...

Has anyone been to Samoset recently? The photos in RCI are very different from the resort website. The rooms look dated in RCI and look newly renovated on their website? Have the timeshare units been renovated or just the hotel rooms?

I have just returned from a week at Samoset, where I (...and separately, other family members as well) own and use a number of timeshare weeks in different seasons.

There are 3 separate timeshare buildings at Samoset. There have been no renovations of any kind (nor, imho, a need for any) in Building I in recent memory. I can't speak to Buildings II or III in any detail, but I don't believe that much has changed there either. I do know that some coffee tables and other minor items were apparently "changed out" in one and / or the other of those buildings since last year. I know this only because some renters (who had also been there last year) were complaining at the weekly meeting that the new (apparently smaller) coffee table in their unit "...wasn't big enough to do their puzzles on".

The hotel has undergone some changes over the past year (a new Italian restaurant downstairs, improved and expanded outdoor patio area, etc.). However, I am unaware of any substantive changes worthy of mention in the timeshare buildings --- unless you are a devotee of assembling large sized jigsaw puzzles.

P.S. I don't know if you have ever been to Samoset. If not, you should perhaps be made aware of the fact that although the golf course and hotel there are both quite grand and spectacular, the timeshare buildings and units are relatively basic (except for their spectacular oceanfront location and eastward / sunrise views). This is not a criticism; I love the place and the area. Just pointing out that there is a bit of contrast between the opulence of the hotel vs. the more "basic" nature of the timeshare buildings and units therein.

 

[AgelessTravel]

I have just returned from a week at Samoset, where I (...and separately, other family members as well) own and use a number of timeshare weeks in different seasons.

There are 3 separate timeshare buildings at Samoset. There have been no renovations of any kind (nor, imho, a need for any) in Building I in recent memory. I can't speak to Buildings II or III in any detail, but I don't believe that much has changed there either. I do know that some coffee tables and other minor items were apparently "changed out" in one and / or the other of those buildings since last year. I know this only because some renters (who had also been there last year) were complaining at the weekly meeting that the new (apparently smaller) coffee table in their unit "...wasn't big enough to do their puzzles on".

The hotel has undergone some changes over the past year (a new Italian restaurant downstairs, improved and expanded outdoor patio area, etc.). However, I am unaware of any substantive changes worthy of mention in the timeshare buildings --- unless you are a devotee of assembling large sized jigsaw puzzles.

P.S. I don't know if you have ever been to Samoset. If not, you should perhaps be made aware of the fact that although the golf course and hotel there are both quite grand and spectacular, the timeshare buildings and units are relatively basic (except for their spectacular ocean front location and eastward views). This is not a criticism, as really I love the place and the area --- just pointing out that there is a bit of a contrast between the opulence of the hotel and the more "basic" nature of the timeshare buildings and units therein.

Thanks! This is exactly the information I was looking for. I have never been to Samoset, I'm thinking of booking a fall week next year and when looking at the photos on their website, the hotel looked quite impressive. However, the photos in RCI where quite different. I like to know what to expect to avoid being disappointed. I think I can manage with smaller coffee tables

 

[theo]

An additional thought...

Thanks! This is exactly the information I was looking for. I have never been to Samoset, I'm thinking of booking a fall week next year and when looking at the photos on their website, the hotel looked quite impressive. However, the photos in RCI where quite different. I like to know what to expect to avoid being disappointed. I think I can manage with smaller coffee tables

Coffee table sizes notwithstanding, if you are "exchanging" I will just remind you that Buildings I and II are both "Friday to Friday", all units. Building III units, on the other hand, are all "Saturday to Saturday".
Not being an exchanger myself, I don't even know if these distinctions are relevant to filing an "exchange request", but just thought I'd mention the differences just in case the info is pertinent to your travel plans and / or to the "exchange request" process...

 

[theo]

Updated info...

According to recent mail sent to Samoset owners, kitchen and bathroom renovations are scheduled soon (granite countertops, new cabinets and appliances, etc.). The work will reportedly be done in the "800" building (Bldg. III, the only "Saturday to Saturday" building) during 3 weeks next month (November, 2011).
The same work will reportedly be done within the other two buildings during March and April of 2012.

No reports have been received regarding any plans for bigger, "puzzle ready" coffee tables, however...

 

[AgelessTravel]

According to recent mail sent to Samoset owners, kitchen and bathroom renovations are scheduled soon (granite countertops, new cabinets and appliances, etc.). The work will reportedly be done in the "800" building (Bldg. III, the only "Saturday to Saturday" building) during 3 weeks next month (November, 2011).
The same work will reportedly be done within the other two buildings during March and April of 2012.

No reports have been received regarding any plans for bigger, "puzzle ready" coffee tables, however...

Thank you. This is good to know. I see week of Oct 26th available in RCI, is this too late for the fall foilage?

 

[MommaBear]

Yes, it is too late for Fall foliage. This year we had a storm that dumped about 10 inches of snow that week, but then it was 70 a week later.

 

[DianneL]

2013 Exchange

I enjoyed reading the above posts. We have an exchange into Samoset for June, 2013, Saturday checkin, Unit No. 3-A8. From reading the posts, I assume we are in Unit A8 of Building III. We have not travelled to Maine previously and look forward to seeing Acadia NP plus other area sights. I know the fall colors would be beautiful, but could not schedule that far out for fall because of possible conflicts.

 

[theo]

Samoset Unit identification...

We have an exchange into Samoset for June, 2013, Saturday checkin, Unit No. 3-A8. From reading the posts, I assume we are in Unit A8 of Building III.

You are correct, although once on site you will promptly discover that 3-A8 will actually be known and referred to only as Unit #814 by resort personnel. Unit #814 is on the "middle" floor in Building III; it's the third unit in from the left (north) end of the building.

Samoset deeds (and RCI correspondence) reflect the unit identification method which you cite above. However, once at the facility you will find that all units are actually identified (including on each units' door) by a three digit number instead. All units in Building I, for example are 6##, all units in Building II are 7## and all units in Building III are identified as 8##.

This info / trivia, plus about a dollar and a half, will get you a small cup of coffee at any Dunkin' Donuts.

 

[DianneL]

Theo, thanks for the info.

 

[AgelessTravel]

Has anyone stayed in the renovated units? Thanks.

 

[cory30]

Room locations!

Reviving an old thread in the hopes Theo or someone else with knowledge sees this question.

We have two units reserved through RCI exchange for June 22-29, 2013. The 2-bdrm is listed as unit 3-D4 and the 1-bdrm as unit 3-A13. I understand that these are both located in Building III but was hoping someone could give me an idea of the general location of these units. Also, does Samoset generally assign you to the room on your confirmation or is room assignment done a couple of weeks prior to check-in?

I have never been to Maine before and feel very fortunate to have gotten these two weeks during the summer months when my kids are out of school.

 

[theo]

Yessa!

Reviving an old thread in the hopes Theo or someone else with knowledge sees this question.

We have two units reserved through RCI exchange for June 22-29, 2013. The 2-bdrm is listed as unit 3-D4 and the 1-bdrm as unit 3-A13. I understand that these are both located in Building III but was hoping someone could give me an idea of the general location of these units. Also, does Samoset generally assign you to the room on your confirmation or is room assignment done a couple of weeks prior to check-in?

I have never been to Maine before and feel very fortunate to have gotten these two weeks during the summer months when my kids are out of school.

1. You are correct that both units are in Building III, which is the only "Saturday to Saturday" building among the three timeshare buildings at Samoset (the other two buildings are both "Friday to Friday"). I can precisely describe the locations of your two assigned units upon my return to New England next week; I have a building / unit layout map at home but I am in Florida until next week.

2. My understanding of RCI exchanges into Samoset is that units are identified upon the exchange confirmation (although not in the same identification manner as they are identified once on site; once on site units are identified as 6xx (Bldg. 1), 7xx (Bldg. 2), or 8xx (Bldg.3). RCI can (and does) precisely identify the unit to you, the exchanger, as there are no "floating" week ownerships at Samoset. Accordingly, pre-identification of the assigned unit in an exchange is easy and appropriate.

3. Good score to get two summer weeks. You must be living right as this is generally a very tough trade --- and two units at that! Most summer week owners who don't use their weeks usually rent them out instead --- for big pesos. I don't think that such weeks very often get "deposited for exchange", so well done!

 

[cory30]

Thanks for the information. We are definitely looking forward to visiting. What type of weather should we expect at that time?

 

[theo]

Some info, as promised...

Thanks for the information. We are definitely looking forward to visiting. What type of weather should we expect at that time?

Coastal Maine weather can always be a bit unpredictable. Summer will have officially begun by then, so hope for warm days. Expect cool evenings and occasional fog (...you will, after all, be just a very few hundred yards from the coast of the Atlanic Ocean).

As far as your unit assignments go:

1. Unit 3-D-4 will actually be known and identified as #816 in Bldg. 3 once on site. This is your 2BR unit.
It is on the second floor (i.e., at building entrance level, since the first floor is actually below the building entrance level). #816 is an end unit on the far left (as viewed from as you enter the building).

2. Unit 3-A-13 will actually be known and identified as unit #818 in Bldg. 3 once on site. It is a 1BR unit on the top (3rd) floor, 3rd unit from the end on the right (as viewed from as you enter the building).

I can't explain this odd "dual numbering / i.d." system at Samoset, except to note that that owner deeds use the 3-D-4, 3-A-13 identification system. This leads me to speculate that perhaps the simpler and more straightforward 3 digit number system may have come along sometime later (i.e., post construction).

Regardless of which building, any "A" unit is a "regular" 1BR, any "B" unit is a "deluxe" (slightly larger) 1BR, any "C" unit is a 2BR "townhouse" (2 levels) and any "D" unit is 2BR, on one level). This useless info, plus a few dollars, will get you a small cup of coffee at any Dunkin Donuts...

 

[cory30]

Thanks for taking the time to provide this information. Now to start planning what we will do while there. I know it is still a long ways off but planning for new places is one of the things I enjoy.

Any suggestions on the best airport to fly into? I had considered flying into Boston, spending a couple of days there and then driving to Samoset but not sure if this is realistic.

 

[theo]

A few thoughts...

Thanks for taking the time to provide this information. Now to start planning what we will do while there. I know it is still a long ways off but planning for new places is one of the things I enjoy.

Any suggestions on the best airport to fly into? I had considered flying into Boston, spending a couple of days there and then driving to Samoset but not sure if this is realistic.

There is a major airport in Portland, Maine, a few hours north of Boston. That's the closest; what is "best" is a matter subject to your own personal criteria.

As far as flying into Boston to spend "a few days" there, be aware in advance that you will have to spend more than "a few dollars" on lodging to do so. Inner city lodging in Boston is notoriously and consistently (...indeed, some would say obscenely) expensive. Boston is a great city, but hardly known for low cost.

Good luck with your planning and travel.

 

[cory30]

Once again reviving this old thread as we were fortunate enough to obtain another exchange to Samoset. We were able to get a 2 bedroom from July 2 - July 9, 2016 (yes I know it is a long way off). We were assigned unit 3 D-2. I know this will be in the 800 building but not sure of the corresponding room number. If Theo or others might have a resort map and can share room location that would be great. Thanks.

 

[susieq]

I also was lucky enough to score a summer week at Samoset. We'll check in next August 29, 2015 (Sat.) into Unit 3-A1, which I know is in Bldg. III, (Sat. - Sat.), but would love to know the specific location, if anyone can help. TIA

 

[1st Class]

Were the above exchanges through II or RCI? How far ahead did you place your requests? Thanks.

 

[susieq]

Were the above exchanges through II or RCI? How far ahead did you place your requests? Thanks.

I started an ongoing search through RCI in March of this year, (I think it was March ~ one of the days when you could start one for free..............), looking for July or August of 2015. Didn't confirm a match 'til a few weeks ago.

 

[cory30]

Were the above exchanges through II or RCI? How far ahead did you place your requests? Thanks.

I actually grabbed my week via instant exchange through RCI on Friday. I was shocked to see it sitting available online.

 

[theo]

... Unit 3-A1, which I know is in Bldg. III, (Sat. - Sat.), but would love to know the specific location, if anyone can help.

Once you are on site at Samoset, Unit 3-A1 is actually known only as Unit # 804. It is an end unit on the bottom floor (there are 3 floors in each building).
You enter the building at mid (second) level, so you have to go down the stairs one level to #804 (there are no elevators in the Samoset timeshare buildings).
"A" indicates 1 bedroom unit, 562 square feet in size. The lower the floor, the less "panoramic" the view, but all units in all buildings have at least some ocean view.
Only Samoset deeds (...and exchange company documents) still refer to the "original" (now long obsolete and no longer utilized) unit numbering.

All units in all 3 buildings are now only identified and known once on site by a 3 digit number. Building I is the "600" building, in which all units are numbered 6xx, Building II is the "700" building, in which units are numbered 7xx, Building III is the "800" building, in which units are numbered 8xx.

I have a (now well worn) diagram, obtained on site from the Samoset resale office some years ago, which identifies all Samoset timeshare units by both their old and new designations; that's really the only way to accurately identify and confirm unit locations, since there is really no logical correlation between the "old" and the "new" unit numbering systems. The newer system is much more logical and makes much more sense, but all deeds originally used the old i.d. system, so the old i.d. system somehow lives on as a obsolete vestige of yesteryear only with the exchange companies and within deeds.

There are no "floating" week ownerships at Samoset; all ownerships there are fixed weeks in specific units. Accordingly, I strongly suspect that exchangers have no say or input at all into assignment of building and /or unit, but are likely just assigned the exact occasional unit / week "deposited for exchange" by its' owner, unless of course there are several different deposits of the same unit size for the same week (which is statistically very unlikely, at least IMO).

Samoset is affiliated with both RCI and II, but fwiw all of the (...not many) exchangers I've ever met there obtained their exchange via RCI.

 

[theo]

...assigned unit 3 D-2. I know this will be in the 800 building but not sure of the corresponding room number. If Theo or others might have a resort map and can share room location that would be great. Thanks.

3D-2 will be known only as Unit # 808 once on site. It is an end unit in Building 3 (the only "Saturday to Saturday" timeshare building) on the bottom floor (at the opposite end of the bottom floor from Unit #804 mentioned in the post directly above). "D" indicates 2 bedroom unit on one level, about 900 square feet in size.

 

[cory30]

3D-2 will be known only as Unit # 808 once on site. It is an end unit in Building 3 (the only "Saturday to Saturday" timeshare building) on the bottom floor (at the opposite end of the bottom floor from Unit #804 mentioned in the post directly above). "D" indicates 2 bedroom unit on one level, about 900 square feet in size.

Thanks Theo. This is very helpful. Interestingly, on our trip last summer I don't believe we were assigned to the room on the confirmation. 3D-4 was on the confirmation but we were assigned to a 2-bedroom unit on two levels. The living area, kitchen, and one bedroom were on the main level with the master bedroom and bathroom on the lower level. The lower level had a patio and the main level had a wonderful wrap around porch. We were in building 3 and on the end closest to building two but unfortunately I can no longer remember our room number.

Do the single level two bedroom units have a similar wrap around porch/deck?