Villa Roma resort in the Catskills

[jp10558]

Here's an abbreviated review from my TUG review:

This is another review that's really hard to break down into a single star rating. The rooms specifically get a 3 from me - just above I'm driving home / staying somewhere else.

The decor is dated - like 1970s - like it feels like one of the motels from Supernatural or a Motel 6 from the late 90s. I just feel comfortable on the sheets and am glad for pajamas.

All the faucets drip, the master bathroom toilet is wobbly, the benefit of individual HVAC in the master bedroom, living room and lock off second room is hurt by very flaky temperature control and wild swings between cooking hot and freezing cold.

The kitchen has a weird small yet not mini fridge and freezer - no icemaker or filtered water. The range reminds me of the electric one I had in my first student apartment in college in 2000. They specifically say you have to clean all pots and pans before you leave and putting them in the dishwasher with the "leaving load" doesn't seem to be good enough which makes me question the dishwasher (I haven't used it yet).

On the way to the main building where the pool and hot tub is is a dangerous set of stairs where one of the middle railings is about to break off. 2/3 of the awing covering on this staircase is missing. Once you're in the building, it's a maze across haphazard rows of rooms including one hallway that looks like it came out of the Shining. None of the hallways are level or flat, they're ramping up and down and sideways and back up.

Negatives out of the way - here's where it gets hard to quantify in a single number - there are a lot of positives too:

There are a lot of things to do, many free, at the resort. It's the first with free pool tables. It has indoor ping pong, shuffleboard, bocce ball, pickle ball a kids playground. It has a very aggressive jacuzzi hot tub, a 3" deep indoor pool, and sauna.

It has a paid arcade (but oddly cash only and $1 or $5 only), spa service / massage. It has some stores, a meal plan or main dining room, several other restaurants, bowling alley, bumper boats,go cart track, and probably other stuff I'm forgetting. They have events like learn to play pickleball, texas holdem, ping-pong tournaments and more.

This is by far the easiest to find out about things to do, and seems to have more things to do than the majority of places I've stayed. It's easy to access - they have a free shuttle so you don't have to drive and park to go use the pool. So for things to do at the resort but outside the room I'd give it an 8. We love Ping Pong, and may try Pickleball and indoor bocce. Easy walking or getting a shuttle to the pool makes it much easier for one person to go have fun while we're working remotely, or if some just want to relax in the unit.

I will say as my first Interval Getaway, it doesn't sell me on Interval being "higher quality" than RCI resorts lol. The rating of 8.75 astounds me on the TUG boards - this is noticeably below any other units we've ever stayed at. I think a full renovation and update would do wonders for the resort, but I wonder about them having the funds to manage that. Even painting and some wall decor updates (and curtains) would help, but that probably would only bring it up a little. While the activities ad a lot, I have to weigh the actual rooms a lot more and so this is the first review that's ever gone below a 5 for me - usually I'm trying to work out "how nice it is" on the odd grading rubric / legend on TUG. This time I could *maybe* see coming back if I got another really cheap deal and say my mom wanted to come to just do the activities and was OK with sketchy rooms... But I couldn't really see possibly recommending this over Smuggs, Massanutten, or Spruce and Oak in the Berkshires which are all regularly available for very slightly more on RCI with the resort fees added in. They have a bit less to as much to do, with much nicer rooms IMO.

 

[callwill]

Here's an abbreviated review from my TUG review:

This is another review that's really hard to break down into a single star rating. The rooms specifically get a 3 from me - just above I'm driving home / staying somewhere else.

The decor is dated - like 1970s - like it feels like one of the motels from Supernatural or a Motel 6 from the late 90s. I just feel comfortable on the sheets and am glad for pajamas.

All the faucets drip, the master bathroom toilet is wobbly, the benefit of individual HVAC in the master bedroom, living room and lock off second room is hurt by very flaky temperature control and wild swings between cooking hot and freezing cold.

The kitchen has a weird small yet not mini fridge and freezer - no icemaker or filtered water. The range reminds me of the electric one I had in my first student apartment in college in 2000. They specifically say you have to clean all pots and pans before you leave and putting them in the dishwasher with the "leaving load" doesn't seem to be good enough which makes me question the dishwasher (I haven't used it yet).

On the way to the main building where the pool and hot tub is is a dangerous set of stairs where one of the middle railings is about to break off. 2/3 of the awing covering on this staircase is missing. Once you're in the building, it's a maze across haphazard rows of rooms including one hallway that looks like it came out of the Shining. None of the hallways are level or flat, they're ramping up and down and sideways and back up.

Negatives out of the way - here's where it gets hard to quantify in a single number - there are a lot of positives too:

There are a lot of things to do, many free, at the resort. It's the first with free pool tables. It has indoor ping pong, shuffleboard, bocce ball, pickle ball a kids playground. It has a very aggressive jacuzzi hot tub, a 3" deep indoor pool, and sauna.

It has a paid arcade (but oddly cash only and $1 or $5 only), spa service / massage. It has some stores, a meal plan or main dining room, several other restaurants, bowling alley, bumper boats,go cart track, and probably other stuff I'm forgetting. They have events like learn to play pickleball, texas holdem, ping-pong tournaments and more.

This is by far the easiest to find out about things to do, and seems to have more things to do than the majority of places I've stayed. It's easy to access - they have a free shuttle so you don't have to drive and park to go use the pool. So for things to do at the resort but outside the room I'd give it an 8. We love Ping Pong, and may try Pickleball and indoor bocce. Easy walking or getting a shuttle to the pool makes it much easier for one person to go have fun while we're working remotely, or if some just want to relax in the unit.

I will say as my first Interval Getaway, it doesn't sell me on Interval being "higher quality" than RCI resorts lol. The rating of 8.75 astounds me on the TUG boards - this is noticeably below any other units we've ever stayed at. I think a full renovation and update would do wonders for the resort, but I wonder about them having the funds to manage that. Even painting and some wall decor updates (and curtains) would help, but that probably would only bring it up a little. While the activities ad a lot, I have to weigh the actual rooms a lot more and so this is the first review that's ever gone below a 5 for me - usually I'm trying to work out "how nice it is" on the odd grading rubric / legend on TUG. This time I could *maybe* see coming back if I got another really cheap deal and say my mom wanted to come to just do the activities and was OK with sketchy rooms... But I couldn't really see possibly recommending this over Smuggs, Massanutten, or Spruce and Oak in the Berkshires which are all regularly available for very slightly more on RCI with the resort fees added in. They have a bit less to as much to do, with much nicer rooms IMO.

When were you there? We just returned from there, had 4 2BR units full of family for a nearby wedding, some only came for the last few days. We also stayed there a year ago to check out the area knowing the wedding was coming. Agree with your assesments. Place has been let go for too many years with the family owning it trying to sell it. It recently sold and shortly after the sale, the prior owner died.

 

[jp10558]

When were you there? We just returned from there, had 4 2BR units full of family for a nearby wedding, some only came for the last few days. We also stayed there a year ago to check out the area knowing the wedding was coming. Agree with your assesments. Place has been let go for too many years with the family owning it trying to sell it. It recently sold and shortly after the sale, the prior owner died.

I'm here right now! I tend to write my review while I'm at the restort.

 

[callwill]

I'm here right now! I tend to write my review while I'm at the restort.

We were in building 11(up the hill behind the TS office). My experience there was a bit better than the building/unit we were in a year ago. Have never been there in the summer, but ill bet its a hopping place at that time of year.

 

[jp10558]

I got Building 1.

 

[jp10558]

Well, and an addendum - in addition to not having laundry in the units - they do have it in the building, but you have to pay for it! $5 per load wash and dry! I guess this is what I get for doing my review earlyish in my trip - then again I as assuming I just couldn't do laundry, but for some reason having it be pay grinds my gears worse than not having it lol.

 

[WinniWoman]

Well, and an addendum - in addition to not having laundry in the units - they do have it in the building, but you have to pay for it! $5 per load wash and dry! I guess this is what I get for doing my review earlyish in my trip - then again I as assuming I just couldn't do laundry, but for some reason having it be pay grinds my gears worse than not having it lol.

Our timeshare we own at Innseasons Pollard Brook has a laundry room in all the buildings and we also have to pay.

 

[latertater]

My spouse worked here as a youth as do many in the region as it is one of the only major employers. We stayed here for the first time on a weekend in August last year to check out the experience. He had not been back in about 30 years. I was curious as I heard so much about "the Villa", where as a teenager he worked in the card room and nightclub where they had some national acts / Broadway talent performing at the time. It is also the last resort standing from the dozens of Catskills hotels, built at the end of that era.

The summer is high season, and it is very beautiful in the Catskills, I truly understood what draws people to this cool green place in the summertime year after year. Villa Roma does attract many people from the NYC / NJ metro area, my spouse said multigenerational families had "their tables, their section at the pool," etc that they would rehome to annually. There aren't that many places to stay around there either, although that's changing, and a lot of them were full when we went in August.

Bethel Woods is 10 miles away, the site of the 1969 Woodstock concert, and museum you mentioned in your video review, with a performing arts amphitheatre. Alan Gerry, who became a billionaire going from TV sales and repair to early investor in cable TV to improve reception in the area, acquired the site to preserve it. Someone else owns the trademark Woodstock and stages concerts under that banner on various anniversary years. Bethel Woods has a very popular concert series in the summer with dozens of acts from those still touring from back in the day like Santana, Roger Daltrey etc to Willie Nelson to Phish and they are trying to extend it to three seasons with festivals, art fairs etc.

It was about $280 per night. I winced a bit at the lodging conditions. I don't think much has been updated since the 1980s, and a fire they had in the 1990s where they had to rebuild a lot of the lobby and front entrance. I will say the staff were extremely nice - and some were even still working there from decades ago! It has a vast amount of activities akin to a cruise ship and lots of amenities, also a card is issued to charge items to your room and a bracelet for the pool and other things on the premises. Note: you cannot get close to the pool in the summer. We enjoyed the outdoor tennis courts, which were free. It even has handball courts. The buildings and physical plant generally have not been updated in some time. The hotel room was comfortable but shabby. The hallways have a kind of smell like the carpet has been dampened and dried repeatedly. Also they do not allow the taking of a luggage cart to move your belongings, a bellhop has to do that - our checkout was delayed as we didn't know that, had left cash for the housekeeping in the room - and their ATM at the concierge desk wasn't working. After many delays and financing issues the property is being sold and redeveloped. The long-time founder, owner, community pillar Marty Passante passed away a few days after the sale this past September.

Unless you've been going there for years, it might not resonate with you. The hotel rooms aren't to the standards expected of 21st century travel - especially for the rates charged.

It won't look anything like this in the future.

 

[jp10558]

Unless you've been going there for years, it might not resonate with you. The hotel rooms aren't to the standards expected of 21st century travel - especially for the rates charged.

It won't look anything like this in the future.

First love your profile pic - moomin represent! I think I'll let someone else take the first stab at it post renovation before I'd return. I also think you're right - you need some sentimental attachment to the area for it to make sense to go there at all IMO.