Worst timeshare resort you've stayed in?

[PA-]

Unfortunately, I do not have a copy of the Colorado statutes. I thought that information on a typical statute on the subject would be helpful. I guess not!

....

Once again you are advocating shutting down timeshares, in this case one that you don't even know anything about. That is not an attitude I would expect on TUG.

At Bodie Island, it is a takeover shark who has convinced some whole owners to support him versus an active Concerned Owners Group of timeshare owners which is vigorously fighting him in court to preserve the timeshare. The HOA BOD, and particularly the wholeowner members have, IMHO, exposed themselves to quite a bit of liability for their actions and inaction in this matter. Fortunately the statutes were written to protect timeshare owners against such sharks by making it very difficult to takeover and crash a timeshare.

Yes, all posts are appreciated, thanks again.

I'm not advocating shutting down timeshares that I don't know anything about. I'm extremely familiar with both timeshares being discussed (Twin Rivers and Sunburst) and have owned multiple units in both of them. As for
Bodie, I'm taking what you said at face value; that it's worth more to an investor as a wholly owned than it is as a timeshare. That is enough, in my book, to make it worth considering, vs. pouring more money into it. How many timeshares are worth more if you sell it than it is as a timeshare? How often does a timeshare owner have a chance to stop the bleeding and actually come out ahead? I don't think that you should totally discount the idea of selling it to a developer or selling as wholly owned, if that is worth more than the individual timeshares. To each his own, though.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I agree with PA about Twin Rivers

We have owned for twenty-four years and the assessments they are doing is just throwing good money after bad, as far as I am concerned. The fact that the whole owners are getting improvements because the builder didn't do a great job and the "interior shells are deteriorating," (quote from Jon DeVos in last newsletter) and that it is going to benefit the timeshare owners more to pay for these improvements than the whole owners, who refuse to pay. Per two-bedroom owned week our assessments total $1,452 and three-bedroom week: $1,532. Multiply those numbers by 50 and that is what we are spending to fix the units. We can sell the units for about $139K, maybe more for the two bedrooms and $179K for the three bedrooms.

PA, I should tell you that we are paying these assessments via installments, an extra MF payment every year for five years, this was our first year, a 61% increase for this year and going to go up each year because the board finally decided to put some money aside..........

 

[DianeH]

Manly National Apts in Manly NSW Australia.

Dirty unit, unlockable sliding glass door, loose carpeted stairs, just read my review. Its too bad because the location is wonderful.

Diane

 

[PA-]

Manly National Apts in Manly NSW Australia.

Dirty unit, unlockable sliding glass door, loose carpeted stairs, just read my review. Its too bad because the location is wonderful.

Diane

Sounds like a manly sort of place, perfect for a group of men on a hunting or fishing trip to spend the night.

 

[grest]

Sea Side Beach Club in Pompano Beach...dirty, outdated furniture, stove and dishwasher didn't work, stains on wallpaper...there is no way I would agree to stay in a motel/hotel in this condition, much less a timeshare. The only good thing about it was its location on the beach, but even that couldn't make up for how awful it was...we left early. That had never happened with an exchange before, or since.
Connie

 

[jalexander]

Smugglers Notch

Yes, I risk the wrath of all by saying this, but no question Smugglers Notch

We got there one week before all of the activities kicked in (early June) and it isnt that the room was bad, but the experience was pretty lousy - I expected much more from a top notch resort

1) Two fairly obvious, significant problems with the unit when we arrived
2) Indifferent (at best) staff
3) No amenties/restaurants open at all in the resort

Maybe my expectations were too high (we went there considering buying a full ownership), but I expected more from a resort of the reputed quality of Smuggs

We often travel in shoulder season and have never seen a resort so empty of anything going on.. it was a place to stay, nothing more

I wouldnt return

 

[wackymother]

Can I just say I love this thread? m

I just joined and I'm slightly ashamed to admit I sometimes look at the reviews hunting tor low ratings, so I can read them and see just how horrible those resorts are. Thanks for starting this thread!

 

[PStreet1]

Worldmark Bass Lake--responding to "opinions do differ," no one would have said that the unit we were in had good beds. Perhaps they just haven't gotten to them yet. In the same measure, no one would have said that the countertop with a hole in it was attractive, and no one would have said that the thick, very black mold ALL around the tub was attractive, well maintained (well, maybe from the mold's standpoint it was well maintained) or clean. The hair left on the carpet was un-attractive and unclean also.

I, too, am a Worldmark owner, but I wouldn't go there again.

Pat

 

[rickandcindy23]

Roark in Branson

The unit was just awful, underneath the sink there was a horrible garbage smell. The bathroom and kitchen were out of date, the furniture and carpet were pretty bad, the king-sized bed was taking up the entire room.

On a brighter note, there were some fun activities and the director was a wonderful older woman who recommended some excellent restaurants and ran a fun bingo game. The people staying around us were much older and we had the impression that most of them owned there.

The resort also allows guests a few hours of free rental on their pontoon boats and we had a great time on Lake Taneycomo.

 

[gretel]

Vistana, Smugglers

I have to agree that both Smugglers Notch and Sheraton Vistana were both major disappointments, for opposite reasons. Smuggs offered a nice unit but absolutely nothing to do and indifferent staff (week before high season). Sheraton had great amenities but the unit was shabby, and filled with biting ants (and, again, no response from the staff).

I was also disappointed with Disney's Beach Club. I loved the resort but the studio unit was extremely small. I would stay again in a larger unit (size does matter).

The unit that I refused to stay in was at the Riptide in Myrtle Beach. I took one look and called RCI.

I have a unit at the Links reserved for next year for friends (the TUG reviews are favorable). Since it was mentioned here, I'm a bit nervous.

 

[caribbean]

Deer Run Village in NY. We were there about 2 years ago. We had a 1BR unit with the BR upstairs and it was in awful condition. The carpet was filthy, the heat unit in the LR area would not shut off and you couldn't control the temp on it either. We ended up throwing the circuit breaker off and on when we needed to. All the furniture needed to be replaced. In their defence, there were rolls of carpet laying all around in the hallways where you could trip over then as you tried to exit. So I guess they were planning some work. Good cause it really needed it.

 

[Tony2]

Sea Mist Resort, Cape Cod. Dark, dingy and moldy with broken fixtures. Plus, nothing really to do there or nearby. Our worst exchange.

And this is supposed to be one of the best resorts on Cape Cod. I wonder what some of the others are like.

 

[ciscogizmo1]

Just out of curiosity, what has been the worst resort you have stayed in? Have you stayed at a timeshare resort that smelled, or was full of bugs, nosiy...

For me, it happens to be The Suites At Fisherman's Wharf, in San Francisco. Don't get me wrong. It was nice, and certainly better than any hotel stay I've ever had. But it was very small and cramped. There seemed to be an overall dampness to the place as well. Personally, I think this resort is the ultimate poster boy for "location, location, location." It was within walking distance to all of the famous San Francisco sights. Although it is an RCI Gold Crown, as well as an II 5-Star resort, I highly doubt it would be rated as high, if it were located in North Dakota.

Anyone else?

Same here. Suites of San Francisco... I'm puzzled in how 20 year old furniture gets a 5 star rating...

Tina

 

[timeos2]

Same here. Suites of San Francisco... I'm puzzled in how 20 year old furniture gets a 5 star rating...

Tina

I am a BIG proponent of quality in timeshare vs location IF there is a quality unit nearby I'd always pick that. But in SF there isn't much choice in timeshares and the location of the Suites really can't be beat. Now it is obviously a converted apartment complex and I wouldn't give it a 5* (I think II hands those out like candy anyway). But given the chance I would stay there again just to enjoy the SF life for a week. And I would imagine that the score cards that come back to II reflect the fact that people are happy just to get a unit with the cable cars stopping at the front door.

So it doesn't deserve a 5* based on the units & features but it is still a good place to visit if you want to do the sights of San Francisco.

 

[guitarlars]

I agree about Vistana. This was my first trade and I had high expectations. We were put in an old, run-down unit. I was told that RCI exchanges get the older section and rentals and owners get the new sections. Nothing like being told you're a second class citizen.

Even though the grounds and pools were nice we checked out after three nights and rented a hotel so that we could sleep in a comfortable bed.

Since then we've always been skeptical of Gold Crown/5 star rankings.

Lars

 

[Hoc]

Honestly, the worst timeshare resort in which I have ever stayed was the Maui Marriott. Horrible, painful beds, a pool that was not more than about 4 and a half feet deep anywhere, and lots of charges for lots of things that should not have cost extra, plus overpriced charges for things that should have cost extra.

 

[PA-]

Honestly, the worst timeshare resort in which I have ever stayed was the Maui Marriott. Horrible, painful beds, a pool that was not more than about 4 and a half feet deep anywhere, and lots of charges for lots of things that should not have cost extra, plus overpriced charges for things that should have cost extra.

Most of us, who travel regularly to outstanding resorts, should never fail to recognize how blessed we are, when half the planet can't even get fresh water or enough food.

Hoc, on the other hand, whose worst timeshare experience ever was the Maui Marriott, should get on his knees every day and praise God.

 

[Hoc]

Hoc, on the other hand, whose worst timeshare experience ever was the Maui Marriott, should get on his knees every day and praise God. . . . .

Or, perhaps the Maui Marriott is a bit overrated, or I value different things than those who prize it. I would have considered sleeping in a tent on the beach to be a step up in quality. Once, as a student, I stayed in a hotel in D.C. recommended by "Lets Go-USA" which smelled bad and was clearly quite dirty. It was so bad that I tried to think of things to do late into the night in order to avoid going back there. I consider that a step down.

I spent time in Korea and the Phillipines in military quarters during 1981. I consider those a step up in quality from the Maui Marriott. So, I guess it all depends on what you value.

The one thing I value most, above all else, is a bed that gives me the ability to sleep through the night, and to wake up without being in excruciating pain. The Maui Marriott did not have that, so I'm sure that the constant physical pain negatively colored the rest of my view of the place.

 

[copperpenny22]

The worst time share resort we stayed at was Vacation Villas at Titusville, Florida. That was at least 10 years ago--hopefully things have improved since then. The "resort" appears to be an old Condo complex. The entire complex was old and dingy, including the furniture. It smelled as if animals were in residence. The garbage dumpster was located right outside our entrance. The TV did not work--when we called the office--they said we would have to call the TV shop ourselves. They charged outrageous fees for local and long distance calls. The entire staff was not very proficient in the English language. There was absolutely no activities. Most definitely not a good place to spend a week's vacation! We noticed later that this "resort" (I use this word loosely) was dropped from RCI, but still later it appeared again.

The next worst one was North Star at Freeport, Bahamas. This resort is, mercifully, no longer listed with RCI or II. I think the parent company went bankrupt and/or was sued by the owners.

We have stayed at many other resorts spanning over 20 years--99% of them have been very enjoyable.

 

[TravelSFO]

I agree about Vistana. This was my first trade and I had high expectations. We were put in an old, run-down unit. I was told that RCI exchanges get the older section and rentals and owners get the new sections. Nothing like being told you're a second class citizen.
Lars

Wow. Same here. Had heard a lot of good things about Sheraton Vistana on TUG before we traded there. Very huge disappointment when we got there. The sofas looked liked they had been used as a scratching post by someone cat's -- just as an example.

Not our idea of "Gold Crown."

 

[Don]

The Four Sails in Virginia Beach Christmas week 2000. See my review for details. Other reviews since then have been good. Perhaps writing to the HOA with my complaints helped.
The next one would prabably be the Sandcastle Beach Club in Ft. Meyers Beach. The unit wasn't all that bad, but in order ot get any air condition in the bathroom you had to give up all aspects of privacy. The Bedroom had a small window unit, but the rest of it was cooled by a unit that was built into the front wall. When you closed the bathroom door, it quickly became like a sauna in there.

 

[talkamotta]

timeshares I own

Im glad that three of the timeshares I own have not been mentioned. I have 6, 3 that are about 6's and 3 that are gold crown. If they were not in good locations and trade so well then I would probably donate them. I would stay in any of the timeshares rather than a hotel. Kind of got used to the kitchen.

I stayed in the El Rancho Villas in Mazatlan. A 2 bedroom, the second to the last day part of the ceiling fell down in one of the bedrooms. Had plaster all over everything. There were only two of us so I didnt care. They were willing to come fix it but I said no. They just cleaned up the mess. I gave it a high rating because of how wonderful the staff was, the location was perfect, and the rest of the unit was good. Being a landlord and my son doing short term rentals I have a tolerance of things going bad and repairs. I dont have a tolerance of filth and bugs. I guess each of us have our own standards and the things we will tolerate. At least with TUGS we have a great advantage and heads up on resorts.

 

[caribbean]

Don-

Re: 4 Sails. We stayed there last New Years and I was apprehensive about going, but we were very pleased. It might have been different in a smaller 1BR, since we had one of the 6 - 2BR units. It had obviously just been completly redone with new paint, tile, carpet, furniture, wallpaper, some appliances, and I was very pleasantly surprised. In fact we liked it so much we reserved again for this New Years. Now if we can only get the wonderful weather again that we had last year. So maybe your complaining did help.

 

[Don]

Caribbean, Don't go there expecting to eat in their restaurant. On our trip, the manager gave the restaurant staff the whole week off. After driving over eight hours that day, we still had to go out to find something to eat (on Dec. 23). We ended up at the food court of Lynnhaven Mall because we knew it would be open.

 

[gresmi]

We were forced to spend a night and a day here when Divi Southwinds overbooked and had no unit left for us. It was like we stepped back in time, the furnishings were very 50's. The smells from the resort next door were awful.

I second this. By far, worst timeshare experience. Pool was filthy. "Remodeled" units must have been done by a 4 yr. old.