Grande Villas at World Golf Village

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

On my way to Charleston today, I decided to stop off in St Augustine to check out the Grande Villas at World Golf Village.

My first impression is "Wow!" This is truly a golfers paradise. This golf village is better than any golf resort I've seen in Orlando. The golf courses are spectacular. There is a PGA building here and it must be a training ground for golf professionals. They do provide lessons and you see PGA this and PGA that, just about everywhere you go. I really didn't expect that coming in.

The Bluegreen resort is tucked away in the middle of the World Golf Village and the buildings are very reminiscent of The Fountains. And, I'd say that the overall community is only about 1/2 finished. There is a ton of building going on here. There are single family homes and several residential communities as you would expect in a country club setting. The World Golf Hall of Fame is housed here and there is a nice shopping and restaurant arcade surrounding a lake. There is an IMAX theatre here as well.

Right now, I am eating lunch in a place called The Fairways cafe. It has typical club house type of food. I'd rate the food as average.

I took some pictures of the resort that I will post to the photo server when I get home in about 10 days.

At the Grande Villas, the resort is nicely done in minimalist, but elegantly done decor. Bluegreen does not spend a ton of money on extravagant furnishings or architectural features. They do get good value out of every dollar they do spend.

There is a miniature full basketball court, volleyball net, good size pool, kiddie play area and yes, barbeque grills.

If you are a golf enthusiast, this is the resort for you.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

OK, so what if I'm NOT a golfer??

Did you locate the hot tub? Inside or outside, and how about size?

What's in the club house?

What about beach access? Did you happen to go in the Fitness center?

I'm not much for the activities and entertainment venues in the area. I get the sense that it's relatively peaceful?

Thanks for making the rounds!! Hard to do with a day job in Indiana!!

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

boca, I would change that line to "if you are a rich golf enthusiast, this resort is for you."
In October the cost was $120 a person and while we stayed at the resort, the course was almost empty. And my husband is quite a golf enthusiast, coached it for 26 years, attended professional teaching courses from the PGA, has been course champion several times. Other courses in the area were $28 to $35 at the time, so we played elsewhere. We also ended up staying elsewhere. Real golf enthusiasts golf almost every day on vacation. Over a thousand dollars for the week was too pricey for us. In my part of Florida we get to play reciprocals in October, for 20 to 30 dollars at fantastic courses.

Our Deluxe one bedroom unit was really a small lock out, despite the wonderful full one bedroom floor plan Bluegreen sent us when we booked. All of our efforts and RCI's efforts could not get us moved to a real one bedroom unit, despite the fact that there were never more than 4 cars parked in front of the buildings at night (all the other units were up for rent). RCI moved us to a beach resort instead. It didn't look as nice from the road as the Bluegreen resort, but at least we had room to sit on the balcony and watch the ocean. AT the Bluegreen resort, the chair had to be turned sideways as the balcony was so narrow.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

OK, so what if I'm NOT a golfer??

Did you locate the hot tub? Inside or outside, and how about size?

What's in the club house?

What about beach access? Did you happen to go in the Fitness center?

I'm not much for the activities and entertainment venues in the area. I get the sense that it's relatively peaceful?

Thanks for making the rounds!! Hard to do with a day job in Indiana!!

Darn, that's why I need that review template and check list. I was just driving through on the way to Charleston, so I forgot to check out the club house.

There is a really nice large size jacuzzi. I took a picture of it. I didn't get to see any rooms because I didn't want to take a tour.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

boca, I would change that line to "if you are a rich golf enthusiast, this resort is for you."
In October the cost was $120 a person and while we stayed at the resort, the course was almost empty. And my husband is quite a golf enthusiast, coached it for 26 years, attended professional teaching courses from the PGA, has been course champion several times. Other courses in the area were $28 to $35 at the time, so we played elsewhere. We also ended up staying elsewhere. Real golf enthusiasts golf almost every day on vacation. Over a thousand dollars for the week was too pricey for us. In my part of Florida we get to play reciprocals in October, for 20 to 30 dollars at fantastic courses.

Our Deluxe one bedroom unit was really a small lock out, despite the wonderful full one bedroom floor plan Bluegreen sent us when we booked. All of our efforts and RCI's efforts could not get us moved to a real one bedroom unit, despite the fact that there were never more than 4 cars parked in front of the buildings at night (all the other units were up for rent). RCI moved us to a beach resort instead. It didn't look as nice from the road as the Bluegreen resort, but at least we had room to sit on the balcony and watch the ocean. AT the Bluegreen resort, the chair had to be turned sideways as the balcony was so narrow.

Well, that explains why there were so many hills on the golf courses. I haven't seen that many hills in all of the rest of Florida.

The prices you quoted are very common for Florida. The nicer private courses have green fees well over $100. The public course can be in the mid-20's to upper $50's depending on time of day and season.

I am not a golfer yet. Now I know why I haven't taken up the sport. It truly is a rich person's sport.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

Darn, that's why I need that review template and check list. I was just driving through on the way to Charleston, so I forgot to check out the club house.

There is a really nice large size jacuzzi. I took a picture of it. I didn't get to see any rooms because I didn't want to take a tour.

No worries. I know you're making the rounds, so it was a shot in the dark.

REALLY NICE LARGE SIZE JACUZZI - yeah, this is what I like on vacation! YIPPEE!!!

I plan to never become a golfer - I've seen how it can consume a person (as any fun activity can!) and I just can't afford it. I do like golf communities, tho, as they are usually rather well kept and quiet. More people on the golf course means more room in the jacuzzi for ME!

Don't forget to ask for your new binder when you're at LAI - I assume you will take the tour there??

Gosh, it's like we have an undercover spy "in the field" !

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

There is a beach club to which you have privileges if you stay at the resort, I believe it is about a half hour drive away and it costs about $17 to go in (I do not know if this is per person). The resort is not in a golf community, but a golf community is near it. I believe that one of the activities was to take a ride thru the community for a fee. It is probably gated.
This area is not developed. The resort is 4 buildings, and I was told at check in that only two are managed by Bluegreen, a check in building (very nice building), and pool area. Adjacent to that is the World Golf Hall of Fame, you can walk to it. In the afternoon, it looked like some guys were loading their carts to play golf, so I guess the golf clubhouse is nearby.
We did not see a real hilly course from our unit.
We know all about the cost of golf, and we know that it is more expensive the further south you go in Florida. We also know about high season and off season. For example, We can play the course at the Hyatt Cocunut for 35 or 40 from May thru October. Boca, I know you stayed at The Hyatt at one time so you know which course I am talking about. You don't need to tell us what the cost of golf is, but i still say you will see very little play during the off season at $120 a person, usually corporate play. Some people will do it once to say they have done it, but that is why the course didn't get much play.
Most of the golfers I know aren't rich and we live in a golf community in florida and also own in a golf community in Wisconsin.

[xzhan02 Member Find all posts View Profile Close xzhan02]

There is a beach club to which you have privileges if you stay at the resort, I believe it is about a half hour drive away and it costs about $17 to go in (I do not know if this is per person).

The price is per day per unit. It's a nice beach club. The 2 br unit we stayed was very nice. If my memory serves, this is the only BG unit we stayed with a whirlpool tub in both master and guest bath.