Beach Club I - Ft. Myers beach.

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

I'll be going to beach club I in Fort Myers beach tomorrow and just wondering if anyone has stayed there lately? Do they have wi-fi now. Do they have DVD's in the rooms? Have they remodeled the units?

It's been about 5 or 6 years since I've been there so just wondering.

Hopefully the hurricane won't follow me.

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

Resort phone number is (239) 463-7773. Since it's just an in-state call for you, why not get the info you seek straight from the horse's mouth?

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

Thanks Theo.

It was after hours when I posted this but no one responded. Was just trying to plan last minute. I know. I'm a procrastinator. But I am here now and did call her in the morning on the 15th and got the info.

By the way the place has improved dramatically. I am sitting on the balcony right now using the wi-fi and listening to the waves crash in with my coffee.
Used the DVD last night and will all week. And they did remodel the units.
Unfortunately Pink SHell is bigger than I remember and blocking some of the view but what can you do. The price of progress.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I am sitting on the balcony right now using the wi-fi and listening to the waves crash in with my coffee.

Wow! Big cup of coffee!!!

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Seems like more and more folks are satisfied & settling for the lesser SWFL resorts.

The area has a lot to do with that.

& the absence of the better resorts through RCI.

I/we were semi-excited this morning about seeing Fisherman's Village for the January date we need. We found ourselves trying to justify staying there . . . "You know, it's really not that bad a place" . . . I just couldn't get myself to pull the trigger. . . yet. Perhaps because of the HGVCs in the 14-day window, and because of my RCI person's comments that things are still screwed up with their website, so there still may be hope that the stuff that disappeared may be found.

Probably our nicest FMB stay was at Bel Air Beach Club, a very nicely renovated place with the feel of an intimate full-ownership condo, which some of the units are.

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

Wow! Big cup of coffee!!!

Sorry about my grammar. I wasn't awake yet. But now after my second cup I see the error.

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

Seems like more and more folks are satisfied & settling for the lesser SWFL resorts.

The area has a lot to do with that.

& the absence of the better resorts through RCI.

I/we were semi-excited this morning about seeing Fisherman's Village for the January date we need. We found ourselves trying to justify staying there . . . "You know, it's really not that bad a place" . . . I just couldn't get myself to pull the trigger. . . yet. Perhaps because of the HGVCs in the 14-day window, and because of my RCI person's comments that things are still screwed up with their website, so there still may be hope that the stuff that disappeared may be found.

Probably our nicest FMB stay was at Bel Air Beach Club, a very nicely renovated place with the feel of an intimate full-ownership condo, which some of the units are.

Well I don't feel like this is settling. Actually haven't been here in 7 or so years and the room is great. I've got a room that goes from beach to bay with 2 balconies and a beautiful view from all windows (except for the humongous Pink Shell buildings). Room #493.

I'm surprised that I got a 2 bedroom exchange with my 1 bedroom but I think that might be because of the VRI preference if there is one. That's the only reason I can think that RCI upgraded me since I see this is a VRI resort now.
And I booked this back in March.

Haven't tried Bel Aire yet. Was going to try for Seawatch if I could next year but maybe I'll check out Bel Aire too. Thanks for the tip.

Anyway, I'm a happy camper so long as the hurricane doesn't hit.

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

JLB,
I noticed alot of inventory on VRI ety for SW Florida last time I looked a month ago. I don't know if you have a VRI resort but might have better luck using that than RCI. I did see some stuff on Sanibel.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

JLB,
I noticed alot of inventory on VRI ety for SW Florida last time I looked a month ago. I don't know if you have a VRI resort but might have better luck using that than RCI. I did see some stuff on Sanibel.

We are not VRI, but, whattya seein?

As to the quality of FMB resorts, most of them are comfortable in the same manner as a favorite pair of houseshoes. The owner-satisfaction rates are much higher than at a lot of fancier resorts elsewhere.

One of our favorite resorts there is very Spartan, but other things about it trip our trigger.

A lesser resort is really not a settlefor if it is what you were looking for/wanting/expecting in the first place. Or if you are not accustomed to staying at the better resorts.

Have you ever stayed at a place like Eagles Nest on Marco Island? Or South Seas on Captiva?

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

Yes JLB I've stayed at South Seas but I guess to me it's a bit too stuffy for a beach vacation. Maybe because I'm almost a native Floridian and all this luxury beach stuff is too much for me.

I've stayed at Sonesta in Key Biscayne, Fountainbleau in Miami, Registry Resort in Naples, Disney Vero Beach and also some of the Marriott Hotels in the Caribbean like Sam Lords Castle, so I've done the luxury thing but honestly I always enjoy the beach better when I don't have to trek thru 10 buildings and take a golf cart to get to the Main areas.

I guess you are right. This is exactly what I was expecting, actually better since they remodeled the units so it's more pleasant now. I know that Fort Myers has lots of old stock but I guess since Pink Shell bulldozed all the beach houses we used to stay in to make room for these humongous beachfront condos, everyone else here seems to have caught the fever.

Lucky for me Enchanted Isle in Hollywood won't be doing any building anytime soon so I can still get my Florida beach vacation the way it used to be and in my opinion the way it should be.

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

We are not VRI, but, whattya seein?

Fishermans village
Sandpebble Resort
Lehigh Resort club
Island gulf resort
Sutherland crossing
Cedar cove beach & yacht club
Windward passage
Bonita resort & club
Coral reef beach resort
Island gulf resort
Mariner beach club
Mariners boathouse & beach
Caribbean beach
Beach Club I
Sanibel beach club


Availability is scattered from Aug 22, 2009 to Dec. 25th, 2010.

I haven't deposited my week yet but I can see a lot. I can also upgrade to a 2 bedroom for a fee. Their exchange fee is lower than RCI.

I talked to the manager at Beach Club I and she said that she is seeing alot of VRI ety exchanges into the resort and that they get alot of the 2 bedrooms. I got this 2 bedroom thru RCI for a 1 bedroom but maybe because I got VRI preference. Honestly not sure why I got an upgrade. Not that I'm complaining.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I know those . . . not all are in SW FL.

Whattya see for January(s).

I wouldn't stay at BC1. I heard there's coffee stains in the units.

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

January is just
Lehigh and Island Gulf resort. 1 bed

Feb. is
Sutherland crossing 1 bed

March is Cedar Cove Beach. 3 bed

That's it for snowbird time.

Much more availability when I like to go in the summer.

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

VRI now has some "hot deals" for $294. Kind of like last call with RCI.

I see some stuff I like like more Beach Club & Bonita resort. Island Club & Coral Reef beach.

If I only had more vacation time.