Welk Resort Villas Exchange: LW2

[Beefnot]

After recently purchasing my first ever timeshare, I also just completed my first ever timeshare exchange via Interval (woop woop, II's ongoing search feature worked like a charm) to snag a 2BR in Welk Resort Villas for spring break. It is showing in II as resort code LW2 and unit number 317.

(1) I know there is LWR and LW2. Is LW2 decent?
(2) Should I expect unit 317 be a decent unit (i.e., view, renovation, top floor, etc.)
(3) Since I'm an exchanger and not an owner, can/will the resort change the unit without my prior request to do so? Although I see the unit number in my exchange transaction history on II, it does not appear in my exchange confirmation email.

Welk Mountain Resorts would have been nice too, but from the overwhelmingly positive TUG reviews of Welk Resort Villas, I'm ecstatic to get an exchange there. I know Welk is in Escondido and a drive to everywhere, but as a So Cal resident, a 30-40 minute drive is nothing, so that's a non-issue.

Any add'l insight on Welk Resorts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[DeniseM]

Have you have a chance to check out the reviews?

http://tug2.com/RnR/TabResortDescription.aspx?ResortGUID=a6241196-ef4a-403f-96fe-fa11a79200c4

http://tug2.com/RnR/TabResortDescription.aspx?ResortGUID=5433f0ce-9220-4223-9a7b-f2f0e69f0279

 

[Beefnot]

Thanks, yes, I had checked out the first couple of pages of TUG reviews for Welk Resort Villas (LWR). Based on the Villas on the Greens (VLW) reviews, I had excluded it from my ongoing search. Also flipped through tripadvisor as well. I am wondering if many of the negative reviews are actually about VLW and not LWR, which seems to need renovation. I saw at least one VLW review on TUG that had been misposted under LWR.

Or maybe there are some areas of LWR/LW2 that need some refreshing? I just hope it's not unit 317.

 

[mjkaplan]

We own at the Welk to I cannot speak to the exchange unit location, I am not sure you will actually be in unit 317, that may be determined when you arrive at the resort. All of LWR/LW2, the original villas, have been renovated and are quite nice. We are there in those units every summer. You will be able to use any of the pool areas (if it is warm enough). We love our stays there.

 

[Beefnot]

Great, thanks for the feedback. Looking forward to it.

 

[hjtug]

We stayed in a 2 bedroom LWR villa last October and enjoyed the villa and the resort. The resort seems to be easy for us to trade into via II and is fairly convenient for us to visit our son and family in the Los Angeles area. We would like to return in May to greet a new grandson. I, too, have been wondering why the TUG rating for Villas on the Greens, VLW and VL2 - 7.92, is so much lower than for Villas, LWR - 9.07, and Mountain Villas, WMX - 9.36. Reading the most recent reviews of Villas on the Greens I see that most of the complaints had nothing to do with the villas themselves but were complaints that the folks would have had even if they had stayed in one of the other sections. So, I am thinking that the reviewers of Villas on the Green just happened, by chance, to have bad experiences with other apects of the resort. Any comments?

I do note the mention of Villas on the Greens having two different sized one bedroom units. When I look at II availability for Villas on the Greens some of the listings state: "single beds or 1 king bed, 1BDRS, 480 sq ft". Other listings state: "1 king bed" and make no mention of unit size. Is it safe to assume that those latter listings are for the larger unit?

 

[mjm1]

After recently purchasing my first ever timeshare, I also just completed my first ever timeshare exchange via Interval (woop woop, II's ongoing search feature worked like a charm) to snag a 2BR in Welk Resort Villas for spring break. It is showing in II as resort code LW2 and unit number 317.

(1) I know there is LWR and LW2. Is LW2 decent?
(2) Should I expect unit 317 be a decent unit (i.e., view, renovation, top floor, etc.)
(3) Since I'm an exchanger and not an owner, can/will the resort change the unit without my prior request to do so? Although I see the unit number in my exchange transaction history on II, it does not appear in my exchange confirmation email.

Welk Mountain Resorts would have been nice too, but from the overwhelmingly positive TUG reviews of Welk Resort Villas, I'm ecstatic to get an exchange there. I know Welk is in Escondido and a drive to everywhere, but as a So Cal resident, a 30-40 minute drive is nothing, so that's a non-issue.

Any add'l insight on Welk Resorts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

We own at Welk and really enjoy it. I believe you will be placed in villa 317 as these units are fixed weeks. If so, you will be in the Cindy building, which is located in the lower section of the Resort Villas overlooking a beautiful pond and a Par 3 hole on the Fountains golf course. The Harmony Hill rec center and pool are just across the parking lot from your unit as well. The only down side I can see to this location in the resort is that it is closer to the frontage road and Highway 15. but, you may not hear the noise from the highway, since it is very high above your unit.

Have a great time.

 

[Beefnot]

We own at Welk and really enjoy it. I believe you will be placed in villa 317 as these units are fixed weeks. If so, you will be in the Cindy building, which is located in the lower section of the Resort Villas overlooking a beautiful pond and a Par 3 hole on the Fountains golf course. The Harmony Hill rec center and pool are just across the parking lot from your unit as well. The only down side I can see to this location in the resort is that it is closer to the frontage road and Highway 15. but, you may not hear the noise from the highway, since it is very high above your unit.

Have a great time.

Thanks, good to know. I'll be there April 1st thru April 8th. Very much looking forward to it.

 

[bobpark56]

Thanks, good to know. I'll be there April 1st thru April 8th. Very much looking forward to it.

Beware of the "tours." These are nothing but high-pressure sales pitches deceptively presented. We went on one Friday and were (a) told things that were not true and (b) provided information that omitted facts important to a buying decision. I feel sorry for the novices who were swept away by the dynamic presentation.

Other than that, Welk Escondido is a very nice resort...except for the ants in our unit, slow internet, and the dullest kitchen knives in creation. The units in the LWR section are fairly recently refurbished and are as spacious as you will find anywhere. The shows at the Welk theater are good, too. Oh, and don't miss the Monday afternoon farmers market down by the Welk theater.

 

[Beefnot]

I had requested a lake view, but it wasnt ready when we arrived at 4p, so instead of waiting for another 15 min for the unit to be ready while I had three restless toddlers in the car, I opted for a unit in Broadway Hill, Carousel building, 1st floor. No highway noise at all in this section, and plenty of grassy area right off the patio for the kids to play.

Let me just say, holy sheets, Welk is immaculate and breathtaking. Our unit was fully upgraded (with exception of analog TVs in bedrooms...only a 32" flat screen in living room), and the grounds and amenities throughout the 3 separate resorts here are just awesome.

 

[enma]

So glad to hear that everything is good so far. I can start to relax about my very first non-Marriott exchange. Sounds like Welk resort was a good choice

 

[Beefnot]

I am looking forward to doing a review on this. i will also post some more comments here later.

 

[Icc5]

Road Noise

In owning at Welk and going there aprox. 15 times we have never heard any of the road noise that some people mention. Maybe it is because where we live is also about same distance from freeways. None of our guuests have ever mentiontion road noise either.
Bart

 

[Beefnot]

In owning at Welk and going there aprox. 15 times we have never heard any of the road noise that some people mention. Maybe it is because where we live is also about same distance from freeways. None of our guuests have ever mentiontion road noise either.
Bart

To be honest, road noise has been a non-issue. I could hear a little road noise only when near the front of the resort and looking up at the traffic on the I-15. If I don't actually look up at the freeway, I wouldn't even really notice anything, but perhaps that is on account of me being an L.A. city slicker accustomed to the soothing urban ruckus. Mileage may vary for more virgin ears.

 

[Stressy]

To be honest, road noise has been a non-issue. I could hear a little road noise only when near the front of the resort and looking up at the traffic on the I-15. If I don't actually look up at the freeway, I wouldn't even really notice anything, but perhaps that is on account of me being an L.A. city slicker accustomed to the soothing urban ruckus. Mileage may vary for more virgin ears.

How true! I grew up near a small raceway in So Cal. One night, when I was a child, my father came in to close my bedroom window to shut out the noise of the raceway. He tells me I told him not to...that I said the noise helped put me to sleep. White noise, I guess.

It's the quiet I have a problem with....it's literally deafening to me.

Enjoy your stay!

 

[Guitarmom]

In Defense of Villas On The Greens

Based on the Villas on the Greens (VLW) reviews, I had excluded it from my ongoing search.

Hi Beefnot. So glad you enjoyed your stay at Welk Resort Villas. I totally agree with you, those original units are wonderful. There is something magically tranquil about those units. My mother owned a Christmas week there, and would often gift it to us (she lives 10 minutes away).

Eventually my mom sold her unit back to Welk -- who offered her far more money than we could have afforded. With a daughter going to college in San Diego and my mother living 10 minutes from Welk, we decided that a resale unit would be a good investment for us. We bought at Villas On The Green.

I just want to encourage you that, if you can't find a Welk Resort Villa, a VLW unit isn't a bad thing. It's true that the VLW's need a bit of paint, and that's currently being done. It's also true that the VLW's are more hotel-like than the original units, but even the smaller side lockoff has a kitchen (though only a stovetop). For those who don't like freeway noise, the VLW's are totally isolated from any freeway noise whatsoever. Any Welk vacation is a great vacation -- even a small VLW week.

Oh, one more thing: The reviews that talk about twin beds are dated. I believe that when the Villas On The Green were first built, they were modeled after the original resorts: King size bed in the master bedroom, twin beds in the "kids" room. Time proved that model to be mistaken, as most people use one side or the other as one bedrooms. A couple of years ago, all the twin beds were removed and queen size beds were placed in the small side of the lockoff. So no longer will anyone plan a romantic getaway only to find that they'll be sleeping seperately. I suspect that such surprises were a big part of people's negative reviews of Villas On The Green.