Seaside33561629472
1 maart 2024
My wife and I decided to attend EPCOT's annual Food and Wine festival at the last minute and I noticed that there were a few Vacation Club properties available for the three days that we wanted to go. We typically stay at Grande Vista or Cypress Harbour, but noticed that Lakeshore Reserve (LR) was also available and decided to check it out for the first time. What we experienced was beyond compare, I was expecting the typical garden variety villa, but the LR was different, much different. The decor was upscale and the size was slightly larger than the typical MCVI unit. The grounds were exquisite and proximity to the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton enhanced our stay (LR guests can use the Ritz Carlton pool but have to pay $50/per family to use the JW pool). The lazy river was just OK because there wasn't much "oomph" in the water flow in certain areas, which equated to propelling myself around by foot, but it was relaxing none-the-less. After a tiring day we decided to eat poolside at Blossom's, which actually turned out to be better than I would have thought since it's just a bar with takeout service. While the villa was among the most comfortable that we have ever stayed in, with plenty of cool blowing and quiet A/C, as well as a two headed shower, there was one item that bothered us a great deal.. there's a window in each side of the bed and they are fitted with Roman shades, which aesthetically look great, but they don't keep any sunlight out - none. There we were at 6:30am with a brightly lit room. What I love about most properties are the blackout drapes, which keep the room pitch black even during the height of the day. The Board may want to consider installing pull-down window shades behind the Roman shades. There was plenty of free parking in front of the buildings and a shuttle runs between LR and the hotels, although the JW took us five minutes to walk. One thing struck me about this property versus the others in Orlando, and that is that this one is geared more towards adults than families with kids, which could be a good thing. As I said, LR is on the same grounds as the JW and Ritz Carlton, which both have a wide assortment of restaurants, albeit expensive ones, and also offers spas. I want to close on a note about a subject that others have written about.. Bonvoy elite status. Some have complained that their late check-out benefits were not honored. The Platinum and Titanium elite status rules are very upfront about this, that Marriott Vacation Club properties and resorts do not honor these benefits, so please don't go into it expecting them to apply to your stay. Checkout time is 10:00am because the units are large and it takes time for housekeeping to change two bedrooms, clean and replenish two bathrooms and deal with pots and pans as well as filling and emptying the dishwasher, all in order to get the room ready for the next guest. The staff that we encountered were all great, with a shout-out going to Brittany at the co
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