Escapes! to Tropical Breeze Resort at Panama City Beach

[sg0578280]

Hello

I am thinking of exchanging into the Escapes! to Tropical Breeze Resort at Panama City Beach for 2009. Please let me know the good and bad about this resort.

thanks

 

[tombo]

I have seen the resort from the outside and it looks very nice. I own at another resort in Panama City and I think that the resort just opened about 2 or 3 years ago and everything should be almost new. I am looking forward to hearing from people who have stayed there since I just purchased a week there sight unseen. The pictures look good on the escapes site :

http://www.escapes-rentals.com/resort_PanamaCity/

I love the Panama City Beach area and this resort is not in the teenage section where traffic is at a crawl during all summer weeks. Although I haven't personally stayed at this resort, I can't imagine this being a bad trade if you can get it. I own at Escapes to Orange Beach, and I have never seen a summer week at Orange Beach or Escapes to Topical Breezes available as a trade. I called Escapes to see if I could rent or trade into either place and they said very few summer weeks at either resort are deposited internally or through exchange companies since most owners use them personally. Since availability was so limited, I bought at both places sight unseen. The resort at Orange Beach has turned out to be my favorite resort, and I currently own at 14 different resorts. In 2009 I will see if I feel the same about the Escapes at Panama City Beach when I stay in my new purchase for the first time.

 

[Mel]

Yes, Tropical Breexe is newly constructed, though it is an old timeshare. The building was destroyed many years ago by Hurrican Opal, and it took until about 3 years to rebuild and reopen. Because of this, there is a very strong HOA board, which cares deeply about the resort. Escapes! does have some inventory, but the bulk of owners predate Escapes! - we sold them all the HOA inventory after we we took back (voluntarily or though forclosure) those weeks that were no longer wanted by their owners.

As a result, the bulk of the owners use the resort rather than exchage, because we lived through 10 years of not having use of the resort - many owners turned weeks back because they didn't want to wait until we could rebuild. We exchange our week, and find the trade power exceptional, probably because there is so little supply. If you are considering this trade because you've seen one available, grab it while you can. If you are thinking about having it as part of a seach, good luck finding one.

 

[sg0578280]

Thanks all... Actually I was hoping to get it as an exchange but from what you all said it seems hard to do so. Do you know of any other good resort in Panama City that I may search for an exchange?

 

[tombo]

Thanks for the update Melinda. I bought sight unseen because as you said I have never seen a summer week available for exchange through RCI or Escapes. I luckily got a fixed week 22 which means I don't have to fight for a summer week using points or a floating week. Are there any Escapes points units at Tropical Breeze or are they all fixed weeks?

You said this resort was rebuilt since opal. Was it rebuilt from the ground up, or were the rooms just redone? I am asking because I was told it was designed to survive a category 4 hurricane, which leads me to believe that the whole structure was rebuilt. Also the design having the open parking area on the first floor is being incorporated into many new ocean front condo's so that the storm surge can hopefully flow through without destroying any of the rooms.

Also, does the whole condo operate under the same HOA, or does Escapes have a different HOA than the Tropical Breeze owners have?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[tombo]

Thanks all... Actually I was hoping to get it as an exchange but from what you all said it seems hard to do so. Do you know of any other good resort in Panama City that I may search for an exchange?

There is a brand new Wyndham PC Beach resort that looks really nice. It is a huge resort and located directly on the ocean. I am sure it is a hard trade to get too.

I also own at Landmark Holiday Beach resort which is a very nice, albeit older, resort. Every room has a private ocean front balcony with fantastic views. The rooms are large with washer/dryers. The pool is oceanfront and indoor which is nice to get out of the sun. I see these trades for the spring and fall fairly regularly, but not for summer weeks. If you don't have to worry about school schedules, September and early October is usually great weather although hurricanes can ruin your trip.

I have visited a friend at Marriott's Legends Edge, and the rooms are very nice, but it is located a long drive from the ocean. I personally don't want to go to the beach unless I can sit on my balcony listening to the waves as I have a nightcap while watching the sunset. This would not be a choice I would make because of it's location.

Ocean Towers Beach Club is ocean front and has received mixed reviews. I have never set foot into a room at this resort, but I have been to the lobby and pool and it seemed like it might possibly be OK, but it might also be a bad choice.

Casa Blanca is ocean front but the rooms aren't ocean front. It is an old converted motel so very small rooms.

There are a couple of others, but I would choose Wyndham first, Escapes second, and Landmark 3rd. If you get any one of those locations you will have a great week.

Read reviews on the PC Beach resorts which weren't in my top 3 and make up your own mind as to whether you would want to stay at them if one of them becomes available.

 

[sg0578280]

thanks a lot. This is what I have been looking for. I will search for those three. Wish me luck

y

 

[Mel]

I would include it in your search, just don't be surprised if you don't get it.

Tombo - there is one HOA, owner controlled. Escapes owns a somewhat large percentage of the inventory, and may have their own HOA of sorts, but any decision they make would have to come before the resort HOA before being implemented, because they own a minority interest.

And yes, it was rebuilt from the ground up - Opal took out everything except one wall. It took so long to rebuild because the original HOA allegedly allowed the original developer to take the insurance proceeds and run, and other shenanigans. Now that the current HOA has taken over, it's not likely to allow any developer to have significant control, as is the case with many resorts, even after they are considered sold out.

 

[tombo]

I would include it in your search, just don't be surprised if you don't get it.

Tombo - there is one HOA, owner controlled. Escapes owns a somewhat large percentage of the inventory, and may have their own HOA of sorts, but any decision they make would have to come before the resort HOA before being implemented, because they own a minority interest.

And yes, it was rebuilt from the ground up - Opal took out everything except one wall. It took so long to rebuild because the original HOA allegedly allowed the original developer to take the insurance proceeds and run, and other shenanigans. Now that the current HOA has taken over, it's not likely to allow any developer to have significant control, as is the case with many resorts, even after they are considered sold out.

That all sounds great and makes me even happier about my purchase. I have a couple of resorts where the developer (Festiva) has employees on the board and way too much control. I am happy that that is not the case here. I am a little worried because someone posted on TUG that Festiva (a developer who puts employees on the HOA after gaining majority vote) was buying Escapes. I figured that other than raising MF's and assessing that they couldn't hurt me much since I bought a fixed week. Plus I have never heard again if they are actually buying or trying to buy Escapes.If the HOA is strong here and they make sure that Escapes remains a minority owner then this resort should be fine. I look forward to staying here for the first time.

Thanks,

Tom