What are the Best and the Worst Location in the Wyndham network?

[Ridewithme38]

I'm still working on purchasing a timeshare....But i figure this could be a good thread to give people an idea of which places to add to their *need to go* list and which to add to their *Stay far far away* list

Soo...

Which Timeshare in the Wyndham network have you stayed in that you felt you needed to be sterilized after leaving and why? poorly maintained? Dirtier when you checked in then out? had no fun ammenities? Etc.

AND

Which Timeshares were so amazing you would sell an organ to live fulltime in and why? Great ammenities? Amazing Rooms? Helpful Staff? Etc.

 

[Jya-Ning]

Best location - The place you can get easily.

Worse location, the place it will cost you more.

Within the best location, the place that just built or remodel is best. The place was there after 5 years will start to degrade.

Unfortuantely, the best and worse is based on you only.

Jya-Ning

 

[BellaWyn]

...the best and worse is based on you only.

Exactly! Agree 100% on this Jya-Ning! We have never had a horrible stay at a Wyndham property. Some of the resorts in the Wyndham system have been around since the early 80's and people STILL love going to those locations. The newer, more recently built properties, are stunning with with their newer unit amenities. Staff at the Wyndham resorts we have found to always be helpful and pleasant.

But it all falls to personal preference and what you expect to get out of your holiday. Our favorite will always remain the one that's right in our backyard because it gets us out of the Phoenix heat in the summers with little travel involved. It's one of the oldest locations in the Wyndham system. We have plenty of time during the other 10 months of the year to travel to posh locations (and we do). But in July & August, we always land in Flagstaff.

Also keep in mind that some locations are going to have "high seasons" when the resort is slammed with guests. Many that don't respect or take care of the property. If there is a going to be a "bad stay" at a Wyndham location it will probably be in those seasons because it's tough for the resort to keep up with the volume of guests. Ocean Walk comes to mind as an example where they have to deal with Race Week, Bike Week and Spring Break on the front end of the year. Unfortunately rooms gets literally destroyed in these situations and resort management is left to pick up the pieces.

You're asking a totally subjective question here. If you're in the market to buy Wyndham, buy a UDI contract where you can go to whatever location you want.

 

[Ridewithme38]

Unfortuantely, the best and worse is based on you only.

Jya-Ning

I'm not really sure if this is true...a Dirty room is a Dirty room for everyone, A broken stove that doesn't get fixed is still a broken stove that doesn't get fixed for everyone, a larger then normal room is a larger then normal room for everyone, Abnormally great staff(or Horrible staff) are still just as abnormal for everyone...a huge host(or lack of any) available activities are still a huge amount of available activities

Now obviously to some Hawaii is Nicer then Colorado, thats VERY Subjective...But those are external situations and don't change whether a room is kept clean or the staff is extra attentive or the kitchen in your unit is broken....

 

[DeniseM]

One way to look at this would be to look at the TUG ratings for Wyndham resorts - they range from 6.0 (which I would consider a "D") to 9.33 (which I would consider an "A.")

 

[richardm]

Orlando International Resort Club is one where I've had a few clients state they would never return.. The affiliate Club Destin is pretty scary from the outside! Last time I was up there the landscaping was in really bad shape (reminded me of all the foreclosed houses in my neighborhood).. I've never stayed there, however- so I've never experienced the resort from the inside!

There will always be gripes about individual resorts (Smoky Mtns villas aren't very soundproofed, Star Island's pool area could use some refurbishment and expansion, etc) but for the most part, I think overall Wyndham offer's high quality resorts throughout their system.

Just follow Denise's suggestion and research reviews before booking the reservation. There are numerous sites which offer resort ratings and reviews. And never forget that it's not unusual for a resort to have one or two bad reviews (it's human nature to complain more than applaud)..

 

[Ridewithme38]

I've looked at a few of the Resort review sites...BUT have found alot are either out of date...or on websites where they are trying to sell me something...

I figure where better to get specific stories from people that actually live the life and i *kinda sorta* trust then from a Wyndham Timeshare Forum, from regular people like me...I mean...thats the purpose of a forum right? So the People can actually discuss products/services without being influenced by sales...

Plus usually threads like this can expand into long discusssions that bring out other issues and end up helping Everyone...they're helpful in building a forum into a community

 

[BellaWyn]

Where Better?

I figure where better to get specific stories from people that actually live the life and i *kinda sorta* trust then from a Wyndham Timeshare Forum,

Where Better.

 

[Ridewithme38]

Where Better.

Shame! I like this forum...it seems to be good people and not so over crowded that posts disappear right away...Just about every response i've gotten on here to most of my questions have been *losely translated to* "Go somewhere else and get the information" If i wanted to go somewhere else to get the info...i wouldn't be asking here....I hope you guys eventually open up to new members and understand they want Fresh perspectives from people that have actually gone and done what they want to do...Not the Paid ad's from the Resorts or the 5-10yr old reviews

 

[vacationhopeful]

My list of "nope, not there". The Cabana buildings at Sea Gardens. The lower units in the Waterfall buildings at Sea Gardens. The South Oceanview building at Sea Gardens. The buildings which are not the towers at Palm Aire. The 9th floor at Royal Vista (where 75% of the units are occupied by the Wyndham Sales Staff). Stay at La Belle Maison vs Avenue Plaza unless it is Mardi Grais - then any room with a bath in the city is fine. Building/Tower 4 at Ocean Blvd (what ocean?).

As for a balance opinion:
I don't book Cabana or Waterfalls or South Oceanview at Sea Gardens - I do book North Oceanview, Ocean Palms and Key West buildings. I only avoid the 9th floor at RV. I have an RCI exchange back into Avenue Plaza (use 28k in points) in Oct 2010. Ocean Blvd and Myrtle Beach in general is low on my list (like a more active city scene). OCean Walk needs updating.

As for nice Wyndham places: Santa Barbara, La Belle Maison (had the room on the 3rd floor where you actually slept on the 2nd floor once), Star Island (humor required if you are a VIP - not Wyndham managed), Old Town Alexandria, Atlantic City (Hi Jorge), Kingsgate, etc.

Like others have stated, most Wyndham properties are decent. The landscaping looks nice, the pools clean, maintenance issues addressed (except for the siding that was falling off the building at Kingsgate and woke me up - at first I thought someone was empting a dumpster; I took pictures).

 

[DeniseM]

Shame! I like this forum...it seems to be good people and not so over crowded that posts disappear right away...Just about every response i've gotten on here to most of my questions have been *losely translated to* "Go somewhere else and get the information" If i wanted to go somewhere else to get the info...i wouldn't be asking here....I hope you guys eventually open up to new members and understand they want Fresh perspectives from people that have actually gone and done what they want to do...Not the Paid ad's from the Resorts or the 5-10yr old reviews

Criticizing people, who are using their personal time to try to help you, is not going to win you any friends here. No one is telling you to go somewhere else. What we are suggesting is that you utilize the info. that's already available, and do some research.

We have lots of resources available to you on TUG, and it makes more sense for you to read what's already available and then ask questions, than for us to regurgitate info. that you can read for yourself.

BTW - I just looked, and 58 of the 63 Wyndham resorts in the TUG reviews have current reviews that were written within the last year. Also - we do not allow developers to advertise in our reviews - anything you see in a review was written by a TUG member.

 

[ronandjoan]

Shame! ...Just about every response i've gotten on here to most of my questions have been *losely translated to* "Go somewhere else and get the information" I hope you guys eventually open up to new members and understand they want Fresh perspectives from people that have actually gone and done what they want to do...

The list of TUG reviews in numerical order, best to least, that Denise referred to is the sum totoal of the TUG reviews, which are the most helpful in the indistry, as far as I have compared review lists. TUG does indeed offer help to Newbies - again, the best on the industry in my search for reviews - and the TUG reviews are indeed from timeshare lovers who indeed have actually been to the sites and have stayed thee for a multiple night stay, not just one night.

Out of the the 63 listed, we have not gone to any of those listed with a lower rating than the 43rd resort. We have been to 28 Wyndam resorts and have returned multiple times to the same resorts since we have liked them so well. Although there are some that we like better than others, all of them have been well kept up and beautiful.

In purchasing, however, points are points are points - unless you are buying a fixed week which will probably be an older deed. Buy a resort which is part of the points program already and you can use those points anywhere in the system (and also with RCI, etc, too, of course.)

We are staying on the BI (that's Big Island in Hawaii for newcomers) and 5 of those weeeks are in Wyndham's. Love it - ocean view units!

 

[Jya-Ning]

I'm not really sure if this is true...a Dirty room is a Dirty room for everyone, A broken stove that doesn't get fixed is still a broken stove that doesn't get fixed for everyone, a larger then normal room is a larger then normal room for everyone, Abnormally great staff(or Horrible staff) are still just as abnormal for everyone...a huge host(or lack of any) available activities are still a huge amount of available activities.

If you look any review site, an avg. good/decent run place has reviewer say about 80% of their room doing good, 10% on avg. 10% broken.

I have not yet see a place that say 100% great, to be 100% great require high MF that probably double or triple whatever we pay today. Some hotel that cost a lot do mainatin that, but I have been in hotel that has get that class but room is about avg.

Most resort will willing to keep you happy, if you have any issue, they will try to move you if they can or fix it. There are resorts that can not, but I have not experince a Wyndham resort that can not.

The only resort I have issue is the resort that allows smoking or don't enforce smoking rule, but that is due to personal allegy issue. The room is O.K. ANd they are not Wyndham resort.

I have been to resort that I have no problem with the unit, while DW think the unit is pure rundown.

I usually go through the resort review to make sure the complains are not something my family will not like it also.

In general, I think Wyndham maintain its resort above average. With the range of the MF in all their resorts, that is about the requirement I ask. Each person will have to adjust their own expectation.

I have not yet get to a resort and feel sweep by it along though. I have have swept by the overall experience provide by the location and resort is only part of it. And frankly, after I visit that location few times, I usually get tired of and want to try different one.

Jya-Ning

 

[BellaWyn]

Finger wagging? Seriously?

We have lots of resources available to you on TUG, and it makes more sense for you to read what's already available and then ask questions, than for us to regurgitate info. that you can read for yourself.

Very well stated Denise, thank you! If the OP had actually paid attention to what was in the link then perhaps some notice would have been made that the Wyndham Resorts Forum is one of two (TUG being the other) online resources of Wyndham OWNERS that have actually "gone and done" Wyndham. There are now more than 7900 ACTIVE owners in that forum that post a plethora of information, including RESORT REVIEWS. There are many TUG members that dual-post in both forums.

Also, there have been tons of threads here in TUG that cross reference the WRF as a means to help new owners and potential buyers with information such as MF schedules, resort descriptions, contract clarification, etc. Between TUG & WRF, it is "all things Wyndham" from the OWNERS. The OP would be remiss (all synonyms apply) to NOT use both resources when trying to understand Wyndham ownership.

BTW - I just looked, and 58 of the 63 Wyndham resorts in the TUG reviews have current reviews that were written within the last year.

OMH! That's a lot of work Denise figuring that out! Good job!

 

[Goofyhobbie]

BellaWynn,

Thank you. Great comeback you and Denise have said it all. Well done.

 

[GeNioS]

Personally, I use Tripadvisor more than anything....Although TUG reviews are a great resource, I like to see how the timeshares stack up against local area hotels as well. Tripadvisor ranks the timeshares right in line (with few exceptions I've found) with the hotels in the area. Especially if I've stayed in a certain hotel in the area but not the timeshare, I can use the ranking comparison between the hotel and the timeshare to get an idea of what to expect.

In addition, I like that a good portion of the reviews on tripadvisor are written by people who rented the rooms off orbitz, travelocity, etc. It's always interesting to get their takes on staying in larger than normal accomodations, how they felt about the timeshare pitch (if there was one), etc. etc. as well as the value they felt they got for the normally higher-than-hotel-price cost of the rooms. Sometimes the most honest reviews come from those unaccustomed to staying in timeshare-style lodging.

 

[JimMIA]

We have lots of resources available to you on TUG, and it makes more sense for you to read what's already available and then ask questions, than for us to regurgitate info. that you can read for yourself.

There is certainly a lot of useful information here and on WOF, but on both boards I've been surprised by the dearth of discussion. For example, in this Wyndham Owners Forum there are only seven threads with posts today...and one of those is just an OP with zero replies.

I'm too new to know why there is not more real interaction here, but it's very noticeable and a little disappointing. I was forewarned by TUG regulars that this was not the friendliest place on the Internet, but I don't know if that is a contributing factor or not.

I'm sure the main TUG boards are much more active, but I'm still learning my way around.

 

[DeniseM]

I have never heard anyone say that TUG was unfriendly!

Have you seen the rest of the internet?

The Wyndham forum has 21,000+ posts, which are still all accessible by new users. Much of this info. is still current and valuable. One way to access specific topics is to use the search function at the top of each forum.

TUG welcomes Newbies and their questions, but many of these questions have already been discussed at length, or we have a lot of resources on the topic ready for research. Often, it makes more sense to refer someone to the existing information, rather than to reinvent the wheel. Especially when the question requires a long, comprehensive answer.

Like any other new social situation, it's not going to be well-received when a newbie comes to TUG and asks for info., and then criticizes people, when they don't get exactly the answer they want. Everyone here is an unpaid volunteer, and people are expected to be willing to do a little homework on their own. YMMV

I don't want to beat a dead horse here, so I am going to close this thread and move on. Dave if you feel differently - feel free to reopen.