Wyndham View From the Balcony

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Ocean Boulevard, N. Myrtle Beach

View attachment 102729

Ooh… What’s the weather like temperature-wise?

 

[chapjim]

Ooh… What’s the weather like temperature-wise?

COLD!! Temp now in the 30s, and high today was 52 but I don't think it lasted long.

For us, it didn't matter. We're only here for two nights on the way to two weeks at Royal Vista. Arrived late last night, slept in, watched football games. Won't leave the unit until tomorrow AM when we load up.

 

[chapjim]

Royal Vista, Unit #4001

 

[WManning]

Great view, not bad for $100 per night. We will be there next week. Weather is a little cooler than normal this week. Is there live music in the Tikki hut yet and what is your go to place for food and drinks while you are there?

 

[Floridaman76]

Is that one of those 2BR units in that building off to the side next to the tiki bar? I have always wondered what those rooms were like. It's such a crap shoot at Royal Vista, especially for 2BR DLX units. You could have an absolute garbage view or no view at all.

 

[BaillieCH]

Nice, Royal Vista is on my list of want to stay at. Been an owner for three years done Bonnet Creek, Emerald Grand, Glacier Canyon and next spring break is Gtreat Smokies. And one RCI exchange to Wyndham Reef. 300k points doesnt go as far when you've got 3 kids that need to go with.

With that in mind any suggestions spring break wise of places that are "sleepers" that I might not have consodered?

 

[BaillieCH]

Disregard, don't want to derail this thread. I'll create a new one.

Nice, Royal Vista is on my list of want to stay at. Been an owner for three years done Bonnet Creek, Emerald Grand, Glacier Canyon and next spring break is Gtreat Smokies. And one RCI exchange to Wyndham Reef. 300k points doesnt go as far when you've got 3 kids that need to go with.

With that in mind any suggestions spring break wise of places that are "sleepers" that I might not have consodered?

 

[chapjim]

Is that one of those 2BR units in that building off to the side next to the tiki bar? I have always wondered what those rooms were like. It's such a crap shoot at Royal Vista, especially for 2BR DLX units. You could have an absolute garbage view or no view at all.

Yes, it is. The building has six floors, two units per floor. Balconies run the entire width of the unit so that both BRs and the living area have access to the balcony with views like the photos above. The units themselves are otherwise unremarkable. Royal Vista has a bunch of units that face west. They're called Intercoastal [sic] View. I haven't been in any of those units but I suspect any view of the intracoastal waterway is blocked by buildngs. Maybe they should be called Sunset Suites.

According to the activities calendar, there is live music on Tuesday (6 PM), Thursday (6 PM), and Sunday (2-5 PM), plus karaoke Saturday at 1:30-4:30 PM. As for restaurants, we've tended lately to eat most meals in since I retired. Any recommendations I might have are probably dated. There are abundant places to dine and imbibe. There's a string started by @Timeshare Von a while back that may have useful info.

Unit assignment is a crapshoot for sure. We were here last January for a week and were located in #6606, a north-facing unit. For the current reservation, I got a call from the resort a couple of days before arrival asking if we had any accessibility issues (no), any special requests (no), and any unit preferences (YES!!). I said I'd love a unit ending in 001 or 002, not expecting to get one. Royal Vista was closed for refurbishment until "late November" so I expect that might have something to do with the assignment. We're owners at Royal Vista with two contracts totaling 427,000 points, enough to ARP two weeks in 2BR units in prime season (203,000 points each). Other than ARP, ownership doesn't seem to make much difference.

Over the years, I've heard a lot of stories, some probably apocryphal, about owners spending months during the winter at Royal Vista. Some allegedly back moving vans with their own furniture, even their own artwork to put on the walls. I do know that once these units get occupied, it can be weeks before any become available.

 

[WManning]

Yes, it is. The building has six floors, two units per floor. Balconies run the entire width of the unit so that both BRs and the living area have access to the balcony with views like the photos above. The units themselves are otherwise unremarkable.

According to the activities calendar, there is live music on Tuesday (6 PM), Thursday (6 PM), and Sunday (2-5 PM), plus karaoke Saturday at 1:30-4:30 PM. As for restaurants, we've tended lately to eat most meals in since I retired. Any recommendations I might have are probably dated. There are abundant places to dine and imbibe. There's a string started by @jackio a while back that may have useful info.

Unit assignment is a crapshoot for sure. We were here last January for a week and were located in #6606, a north-facing unit. For the current reservation, I got a call from the resort a couple of days before arrival asking if we had any accessibility issues (no), any special requests (no), and any unit preferences (YES!!). I said I'd love a unit ending in 001 or 002, not expecting to get one. Royal Vista was closed for refurbishment until "late November" so I expect that might have something to do with the assignment. We're owners at Royal Vista with two contracts totaling 427,000 points, enough to ARP two weeks in 2BR units in prime season (203,000 points each). Other than ARP, ownership doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

Over the years, I've heard a lot of stories, some probably apocryphal, about owners spending months during the winter at Royal Vista. Some allegedly back moving vans with their own furniture, even their own artwork to put on the walls. I do know that once these units get occupied, it can be weeks before they become available.

Try the Vega lounge next door to the Foundry. They have a great happy hour.

 

[BaillieCH]

2023 Destin EG. Think it was 6th floor harbor view

 

[BaillieCH]

Didn't bother taking pictures at Glacier Canyon, we're we had a "pool" view and everything was closed and it was Grey and yuck. That being said, now that I've found TUG I'll take pictures good or bad.

 

[dioxide45]

Didn't bother taking pictures at Glacier Canyon, we're we had a "pool" view and everything was closed and it was Grey and yuck. That being said, now that I've found TUG I'll take pictures good or bad.

I like to see both the good and bad. This isn’t just a brag thread meant for great views.

 

[Roger830]

Royal Vista looking west from a 2-bed 6th floor balcony in the rear of the building.

It was ok because there was a cold wind from the east for the 5 days that we were there in February a few years ago.

Stingers in the corner of the parkade has a good fish sandwich.

 

[chapjim]

Didn't bother taking pictures at Glacier Canyon, we're we had a "pool" view and everything was closed and it was Grey and yuck. That being said, now that I've found TUG I'll take pictures good or bad.

I've posted some absolutely pitiful photos.

 

[chapjim]

Royal Vista looking west from a 2-bed 6th floor balcony in the rear of the building.

It was ok because there was a cold wind from the east for the 5 days that we were there in February a few years ago.

Stingers in the corner of the parkade has a good fish sandwich.

View attachment 102890

At Royal Vista now and the wind has either subsided or shifted to a northwest quadrant. Ocean has flattened out. Had coffee on the balcony for the first time since a arrival on 12/1.

 

[WManning]

Sea Gardens

 

[noreenkate]

No balcony but I love the Ferris Wheel at Atlanta

 

[chapjim]

Lake Marion, Unit 528

Wyndham Lake Marion is our "most often visited" resort, albeit usually for only two or three nights at a time on the way to/from points in Florida or New Orleans. It's about 450 miles from home and about 400 miles from the Orlando area.

The resort is in Santee, SC, on the south shore of Lake Marion, and only 1.1 mile from the exit off I-95. The resort is separated from I-95 by a rest area but could be on a different planet in terms of peace and quiet.

 

[chapjim]

View attachment 103385

No balcony but I love the Ferris Wheel at Atlanta

Post #162 has a daytime photo from a unit a little to the left of this one, just a bit off-center.

 

[noreenkate]

Post #162 has a daytime photo from a unit a little to the left of this one, just a bit off-center.

Unfortunately the bedroom is a straight on view…

 

[Floridaman76]

I used to stop at Lake Marion for 1 night on my annual Christmas trips from Florida to Old Town Alexandria, it is about half way and we leave after work and can get there around midnight or 1am.

I've never stayed there other than a quick overnight so don't know what there is to do in the area, I know that big lake is there, you cross it on I-95

Back when Wyndham stopped allowing 1 night stays, we started diverting to Myrtle Beach and spending 2 nights there since we had to pay for the extra night anyway and it always ended up being less points because we could get a 1BR unit at Ocean Blvd or TOTG at the last minute and get a free upgrade to 2BR. There are only 2 and 3BR units at Lake Marion.
The week before Christmas is absolute dead time in MB and I have always been able to get a 1BR in tower 2 at OB in the discount window and it always upgrades to a 2BR. I always play the upgrade game at SeaWatch or TOTG, once I was able to upgrade a studio boulevard to a 2BR Ocean Front there, so we ended up staying there once

The downside to this strategy is it adds a couple hours to the drive. I really wish they would bring back 1 night stays. This trip i'm on right now, I stayed 1 night at Fairfield glade, but it was so few points its hardly worth bothering about

 

[chapjim]

I used to stop at Lake Marion for 1 night on my annual Christmas trips from Florida to Old Town Alexandria, it is about half way and we leave after work and can get there around midnight or 1am.

I've never stayed there other than a quick overnight so don't know what there is to do in the area, I know that big lake is there, you cross it on I-95

Back when Wyndham stopped allowing 1 night stays, we started diverting to Myrtle Beach and spending 2 nights there since we had to pay for the extra night anyway and it always ended up being less points because we could get a 1BR unit at Ocean Blvd or TOTG at the last minute and get a free upgrade to 2BR. There are only 2 and 3BR units at Lake Marion.
The week before Christmas is absolute dead time in MB and I have always been able to get a 1BR in tower 2 at OB in the discount window and it always upgrades to a 2BR. I always play the upgrade game at SeaWatch or TOTG, once I was able to upgrade a studio boulevard to a 2BR Ocean Front there, so we ended up staying there once

The downside to this strategy is it adds a couple hours to the drive. I really wish they would bring back 1 night stays. This trip i'm on right now, I stayed 1 night at Fairfield glade, but it was so few points its hardly worth bothering about

You're exactly right about using Myrtle Beach as a stopover. It's cheaper but takes an additional hour to get there and another additional hour to get back out to I-95. Going south from Myrtle Beach, Google Maps takes you out US 378 toward Manning. But, my nav system takes me down US 17 through Charleston, joining I-95 a little south of Yemassee. The US 378 option is an easier drive. I had a very bad experience on US 17.

Santee has a few good restaurants and we took a boat tour of the lake that was fairly interesting. Congaree National Park and Santee State Park are supposed to be nice but we've never made it to either place.

Commercial activity in Santee centers around fishing -- boat sales and tackle suppliers abound. Wyndham Lake Marion is one of the few places that has a launch ramp and space to park boat trailers. Otherwise, it is a great place to sit on the balcony, watch the birds, and chill.

 

[RENTER]

Have you ever walked that bridge that leads into the lake? For history buffs especially now as we approach the 250th anniversary of the shot heard around the world 4 months from now, on the east side of the lake is where the Swamp Fox, Francis Marion is buried in a private family cemetery on the site where his Belle Island Plantation was.

Also nearby is where the Battle of Eutaw Springs occurred. So, I would expect in the next few years a lot of events remembering the Revolutionary War occurring around there.