Grand Chateau Pool Campaign

[GaryDouglas]

I would like to start up a letter writing, email writing and whatever it takes campaign to impress upon Mr. Forrester the need for a second tower pool. This should be done constructively. If you are a GC owner, say so, and what your personal experiences have been with the pool situation. If you are a potential buyer, please let him know how this situation will affect your decision to buy. I assume Marriott people monitor this board so we're flying above the radar on this, but we must do what we can to persuade Marriott to make a wise decision here.

Gregg Forrester
President, Marriott's Grand Chateau Owner's Association, Inc.
Marriott Vacation Club International
6649 Westwood Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32821
Phone number: (407) 206-6057
Fax number: (407) 206-6043
Email: gregg.forester@vacationclub.com

 

[OnMedic]

Gary

Just as an FYI. I passed along my discontent when I did the sales presentation. As a prospect, I am surprized the sales person didn't really care weather or not I liked every aspect of my 3 night experience... Their main focus was my signing on the dotted line regarless of my issues.

Some timeshare sales people are great, but the majority have the blinders on and fail to understand and appreciate the customers concept and what is important to US!

 

[dougef]

I was there in June. As I was attending a conference nearby and my wife did not join me I could not do the sales presentation. But one brief visit to the pool made me decide there was no way I would buy there. If you go the LV in the summer, a good (maybe great) pool is essential. What were they thinking?

 

[dougp26364]

.........If you go the LV in the summer, a good (maybe great) pool is essential. What were they thinking?

Perhaps for some people a pool is essential. There are those of us that never use a pool. In all of the timeshare stays we've had since '99, I believe we've only been in the resort pools all of twice. It's just not something we're interested in.

What were they thinking? The cost of that ground is around 17 million per acre. They were probably thinking we need to build more income producing units than amenities such as a pool. There just isn't enough room on that site to put in any sort of decent pool. I know that when they reach build out there will be a second pool. Rumor has it that the plans have been modified to also include an indoor pool but......I haven't seen solid evidence of that yet.

Persently GC is selling rather briskly so, whatever they were thinking, they may have been correct. I know that when I talked with our salesman last March concerning the option to purchase the opposite EOY unit at GC, he told us they were close to only having 2009 (odd year) units available. If that's true then the pool must not be a major deal breaker for a lot of people.

 

[mj2vacation]

there is a plan to put a second pool on top of the parking structure. It is due to go in when the second tower is completed. (unless, of course, that changes...)

 

[GaryDouglas]

They might build the pool when the second tower is built, but for safety reasons, they would have to wait until the third tower is finished to utilize it (Picture a crane dropping something in the pool area during construction? Lawyers everwhere!).

Although some people do not consider a pool essential, the majority probably does. Can you image the Maui Ocean Club without it's extensive pools. We can't...

 

[bogey21]

....one brief visit to the pool made me decide there was no way I would buy there. If you go the LV in the summer, a good (maybe great) pool is essential. What were they thinking?

I think this is the answer. If a pool is important to you and you don't like what is there, don't buy. Spend your $30,000+ somewhere else.

GEORGE

 

[dougp26364]

Although some people do not consider a pool essential, the majority probably does. Can you image the Maui Ocean Club without it's extensive pools. We can't...

With most locations, I can agree. I can't imagine most timeshare resorts without an extensive pool area. But, most timeshares are buillt with low level (5 stories or less) complexes and several of them scatterd over a dozen or more acres. City timeshares often don't have that luxury. They're built on small, very expensive lots.

It would be great if GC had an extensive pool layout like Consolidated's Tahiti Village is going to have but, then Marirott would have had to build out by the Vegas Outlet Mall. I bet there would be just as many complaints about location (what were they thinking?) as with the pool situation they have now.

As for the second pool, it doesn't look like it will be that big and my bet is it's not open until after the third tower structure is complete. I'm more curious about the possibility of another indoor pool. I doubt that it will be a large pool if it gets built but, I'd like to see it happen. I wonder how much usage an indoor pool would get though. In Vegas, it does get a little cool for swimming (espceially on the roof) from mid October through mid March.

 

[davemy]

As a owner that bought site unseen the first week GC went on sale, the pool is a joke! I am all in favor of anything that can be done to improve the pool problem!! you can't be in the casinos all day for seven days straight. If it wasn't for the view, no one would go up there. I don't plan on going back there untill phase 3 is done.

 

[dougp26364]

As a owner that bought site unseen the first week GC went on sale, the pool is a joke! I am all in favor of anything that can be done to improve the pool problem!! you can't be in the casinos all day for seven days straight. If it wasn't for the view, no one would go up there. I don't plan on going back there untill phase 3 is done.

We don't gamble 7 days straight either. In fact, we maybe run $100 through the machines during the entire week. There's a LOT more to Vegas than gambling.

But, if a pool is important to you, then this isn't going to be your resort. It is different than most Marriott's we've been to as the pool is not a major part of the resort. I can understand the disappointment of those that have come to expect a great pool as part of their vacation experience.

Because of the limitations of space, I don't see Marriott ever doing great pool things with this resort. Even if they put one of those dinky little pools on the roof of every building, it still wouldn't be enough and most people who like pools would consider it pathetic.

 

[pwrshift]

Anyone going to LV regularly and staying in hotels has seen huge pools, so the Marriott LV pool will come as a shock. LV has a winter too so there will be months the pool wouldn't even be open, regardless of size.

BeachPlace gets criticized for its pool size, but I've never seen it full...and the ocean and great beach is a 3 min walk through the tunnel.

At Manor Club last week I went over the the big pool in the Sequel area - it was high 90's and very humid -- there were just 4 adults and 3 kids at that time.

In early April I was at Canyon Villas - there were people at the pool but nowhere near capacity...yet the pools at the JW hotel there were full to the brim, to the point you had to wait quite a while to find an empty floater for the lazy river. And the hotel has 5 pools!

Perhaps timeshare people don't use the pools like hotel people do?

Brian

 

[Iowa Rod]

I toured GC pool sucks no way I would ever buy here. I told that to their salesperson just 2 weeks ago and they seemed surprised. I would rather buy a 5000 point HGVC Flamingo for 7000 and have not only a great location but also a great pool.
Rod

 

[Kel]

I think a resort with a nice pool is essential in Las Vegas.

Personally, we can only handle Las Vegas once a year for 3 days and 2 nights. My husband and I like lounging by a nice pool during the day and that is why we always stay at a nice hotel on the strip (not a timeshare). The smoke in the casinos just about kills us after 3 days. We live in So. California (4 hour drive from Las Vegas) with strict non-smoking laws and we are spoiled by this. I don’t understand why anyone would want to spend a week in Las Vegas as a family vacation. Just walking through a Las Vegas hotel, restaurant or casino is a stinky smoky experience for adults and children. Sure, there a lot of nice sites to see near Las Vegas, but Las Vegas is a Disneyland for adults. And, I would never buy or exchange into the new Marriott Grand Chateau. OK, I might buy an II Grand Chateau Getaway if they put in a nice pool. But, we would only use the Getaway for 3 days.

Ask me how I really feel about smoking? JMHO.

And, don't get me wrong - we have a great time in Las Vegas every year. We usually make our annual deposit at the black jack table and the slots.

Happy travels.

Kel

 

[Jason118]

We live in So. California (4 hour drive from Las Vegas) with strict non-smoking laws and we are spoiled by this. I don’t understand why anyone would want to spend a week in Las Vegas as a family vacation. Just walking through a Las Vegas hotel, restaurant or casino is a stinky smoky experience for adults and children. Sure, there a lot of nice sites to see near Las Vegas, but Las Vegas is a Disneyland for adults. And, I would never buy or exchange into the new Marriott Grand Chateau.Kel

That was the exact reason we decided to become owners at Grand Chateau after we visited the property last November. No one smoked in the lobby of MGC, and it also has non-smoking floors. When we were tired of smoke, we would take a day-trip to other places or simply stay in the spacious three-bedroom suite to give us a break, and then went back to the casinos/theaters the next day.

Jason