Embarc Panorama and HGVC Sandestin Information

[GT75]

Does anyone have any experience staying at Embarc Panorama either 2BR - Riverbend Lodge or Mountain Studio Taynton Lodge. I have a 2BR - Riverbend Lodge booked in early February 2025 and a friend in the studio. Pictures would also be great along with any suggestions.

Does anyone also have any experience staying at HGVC Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in 2BR Premier Jolee Island room. I have that booked for late April 2025. Again, any pictures would also be great along with any suggestions on room requests or anything else.

btw, I have seen the pics on the website.

TIA

 

[echino]

Stayed at Embarc Panorama in the summer in a 2br. Riverbend 2br are along the Toby Creek, while Taynton lodge units are in a different location near the pools. Those pools are fantastic. There is a free gondola between the two locations, or you can walk. If you exchanged in, beware there is a new resort fee, I think about $40 per day.

 

[dayooper]

Do you have a resort fee if you use Dex to book it?

 

[GT75]

Do you have a resort fee if you use Dex to book it?

We will find out come February. From the DEX fact sheet it states: A resort charge of $23 CAD plus tax per night will be added to the reservation if the owner or member of THE Club® is checking in on a rental reservation.

HGVC Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort DEX fact sheet states: A Daily Resort Charge of $35.00 plus tax will be added to the reservation if a member is checking in on a rental reservation.

Since we are exchanging, I am hoping not.

 

[dayooper]

Sounds like there isn’t, but you never know.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

@echino Panorama looks lovely. Did you use II to trade into this? Any photos of the pools? Any indoor pools or hot tubs for sore winter skiers?

 

[GT75]

Any indoor pools or hot tubs for sore winter skiers?

This is from the DEX info under Panorama service and amenities tab.

Swimming​

• Outdoor Hot Tub(s)
• Outdoor Pool

I thought that I read somewhere that there were some hot tubs in a common area near the lodge area. But I can not find that now.

 

[echino]

Those outdoor pools were very warm, at least in the summer. I thinks they are comfortable in winter.

Outdoor Pools

Relax and enjoy the expansive pools and waterslide area located at Panorama Springs Lodge, or the Toby Pool in the lower village.

www.panoramaresort.com

 

[cd5]

Panorama: Embarc doesn't own the entire resort, they have a few rooms only (22). I have a friend that goes every winter and prefers it to Whistler - more availability and less crowds for skiing which he describes as fantastic. There is not much in the area by the way of restaurants & shops so it is suggested to stop in Inverness on the way in, in order to do any grocery shopping you need.
As far as I know they do charge the resort fee for exchanges. Only Embarc points reservations don't get charged (according to what we are told). I exchange sometimes to go to Embarc Palm Desert with SFX and there is a resort fee (it is Hilton that initiated this, we did not have one previously).

 

[cd5]

Sandestin: Jolee Island rooms face the bay and sunset. Here's photos of the 2 bdrm premier. Sandestin renos start next year, not sure what month yet.
The sales presentations here are BRUTAL. I would advise taking a pass.

 

[cd5]

Does anyone have any experience staying at Embarc Panorama either 2BR - Riverbend Lodge or Mountain Studio Taynton Lodge. I have a 2BR - Riverbend Lodge booked in early February 2025 and a friend in the studio. Pictures would also be great along with any suggestions.

Does anyone also have any experience staying at HGVC Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in 2BR Premier Jolee Island room. I have that booked for late April 2025. Again, any pictures would also be great along with any suggestions on room requests or anything else.

btw, I have seen the pics on the website.

TIA

The studio at Panorama is quite large so your friend will be very happy!

 

[TUGBrian]

panorama hasnt had a good review since 2021 and would earn a free 1 year membership extension if someone were to submit one!

 

[cd5]

panorama hasnt had a good review since 2021 and would earn a free 1 year membership extension if someone were to submit one!

I haven't been there myself as I no longer ski, but my daughter will likely be going this winter as she's moving to Alberta this fall. I'll ask either her or her husband if they could do one.

 

[GT75]

I have a friend that goes every winter and prefers it to Whistler - more availability and less crowds for skiing which he describes as fantastic.

We have heard about less crowds at Panorama Ski Resort, but of course I won't be able to compare to Whistler (since I haven't been there yet). There also seem to be excellent availability in DEX. I would like to try Whistler in 2026 so I will watch for the deposits (or maybe not as many deposits). I wasn't able to snag a 2BR at Whistler in 2025 during the timeframe that met my schedule.

@echino & @cd5, thanks for the very helpful information.

 

[Tacoma]

My husband snowboards and is a huge snow snob. He usually boards at Sunshine or Lake Louise which tend to have good to excellent snow conditions. With my timeshares I have availability at 2 Worldmark resorts and the embarc at Whistler but he feels that the snow conditions are not as good there. Panorama can be good but it is a bit hit and miss, but the resort will not be nearly as crowded. Plus the daily fees for skiing are significantly less than Whistler. There is regularly availability at super cheap rates 14 days out for embarc members and we didn't go once last year due to snow conditions despite living 3 hours away. Where do we love other than Sunshine and Lake Louise - Sun Peaks. The one timeshare there is through VI and is awesome but they only have studios and there is a resort fee that includes breakfast and BC taxes. Fortunately I have made connections on TUG that allowed me to pick up Sun Peaks for next year with our friends. Honestly since Whistler has been bought out by a US ski corporation and raised the prices so much it has almost no appeal for us.

 

[rjp123]

Inverness.

Invermere (BC, not Scotland)


Sent from my Pixel 8 using Tapatalk

 

[GT75]

As far as I know they do charge the resort fee for exchanges.

We will see come Feb. The other thing that I don't understand is this statement from the Panorama DEX resort facts Sheet (along with some other former Embarc resorts):

This resort is only available for reservations by our Embarc® members.​

 

[GT75]

My husband snowboards and is a huge snow snob.

I understand completely. I would also just ski at those areas which I could drive to with the best snow too if I was local. Unfortunately, I must gamble to choose my ski locations now. I usually go to Breckenridge, CO (of which I still have two trips scheduled in 2025) and Park City, UT. From Breck, I can also drive to either Keystone or Vail. All of these ski resorts are on the EPIC pass so I just get that every year. The season pass is reasonable if you ski more than 6 days.

Plus the daily fees for skiing are significantly less than Whistler.

Any recommendations on where to purchase cheap or discounted lift tickets for Panorama?

 

[echino]

Any recommendations on where to purchase cheap or discounted lift tickets for Panorama?

Wait until the SnowCard goes on sale for the next season:

Panorama SnowCard

The Winter 2023/24 Panorama SnowCard includes 3 or 5 days of skiing or riding at Panorama for one low price! Plus, receive a discount off additional tickets all season long.

www.panoramaresort.com

 

[GT75]

Wait until the SnowCard goes on sale for the next season:

Thanks @echino. It looks like the flash sale hopefully again will be October 4 to October 31, 2024. I would expect those prices to be cheaper than regular snowcard pricing. And I also assume that pricing is in CAD. If I understand everything correctly, then this should be great pricing. Thanks so much for the information.

 

[tomvc]

Thanks @echino. It looks like the flash sale hopefully again will be October 4 to October 31, 2024. I would expect those prices to be cheaper than regular snowcard pricing. And I also assume that pricing is in CAD. If I understand everything correctly, then this should be great pricing. Thanks so much for the information.

Panorama is on Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective. Those passes are also good at Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise and Revelstoke.