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Beachwood at Kitty Hawk OBX NC - observations

cruzad3r

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Below are my observations/review regarding my stay at the Beachwood resort at Kitty Hawk OBX NC. I'm interested hearing, reading other vacationers who have stayed at this resort. Also, I'm hoping my observations can help others who wanted to rent/stay at this place.

I rented from another Tug user and I called the owner to learn more about the resort. From looking at the resort's website (https://www.vacationrentalsvabeach.com/beachwoods) the pictures show a good surrounding area with outside pool, a small pond with paddle boats and a decent side indoor water park. In addition, there's picnic area, tennis court, a fitness center and an advertised of 1mile away from the beach. So when I talked to the owner, I asked if there's anything else I should know. Owner said none and we put the deal together for the rental. Owner told me the resort's management moved the rental unit closer to all the activities buildings so that's a plus.

Fast forward several weeks to our check in day, we learned that the resort's management has moved us again. I didn't know much to care so I happily check in. I asked about the internet access and the receptionist said it's not worth the cost to pay extra because of the slow/unusable connection. As we drove away from the check-in center to our unit, it starting to sink in that we are in the middle of a forest. All of the units are surrounded by nature/trees/bugs/insects/reptiles. We had cockroaches crawling inside our bathroom, multiple mosquitoes bites and my son's leg was swollen up. We were supposed to stay from 8/6 to 8/13 but we checked out on 8/12 because we couldn't take the beating any longer.

So for those who want to stay here, please make sure to pack extra bug off, after bites itch eraser to protect your family. Also try to avoid staying here if there's rain in the forecast. Unfortunately for us, it rained 5 out of the 7 days that we were going to stay there. In term of going to the beach, I suggest going to the Jennette's Pier in Nags Head which is 20 minutes drive (depending on traffic from the resort). It offers free parking and a decent outside "shower/water" for you to rinse off. In addition, it's right across the Tanger outlet so you can shop if you want to.

I have owned Sheraton TS and rented plenty into Wyndham and Beachwood has a long way to go compare to the other two. For all of the above observations, I don't think I'm going to take my family back to this place. I hope others that stayed here had a better experience than our family and for those who potentially want to stay here, I hope my observations/experiences help you and your family.
 

Panina

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Below are my observations/review regarding my stay at the Beachwood resort at Kitty Hawk OBX NC. I'm interested hearing, reading other vacationers who have stayed at this resort. Also, I'm hoping my observations can help others who wanted to rent/stay at this place.

I rented from another Tug user and I called the owner to learn more about the resort. From looking at the resort's website (https://www.vacationrentalsvabeach.com/beachwoods) the pictures show a good surrounding area with outside pool, a small pond with paddle boats and a decent side indoor water park. In addition, there's picnic area, tennis court, a fitness center and an advertised of 1mile away from the beach. So when I talked to the owner, I asked if there's anything else I should know. Owner said none and we put the deal together for the rental. Owner told me the resort's management moved the rental unit closer to all the activities buildings so that's a plus.

Fast forward several weeks to our check in day, we learned that the resort's management has moved us again. I didn't know much to care so I happily check in. I asked about the internet access and the receptionist said it's not worth the cost to pay extra because of the slow/unusable connection. As we drove away from the check-in center to our unit, it starting to sink in that we are in the middle of a forest. All of the units are surrounded by nature/trees/bugs/insects/reptiles. We had cockroaches crawling inside our bathroom, multiple mosquitoes bites and my son's leg was swollen up. We were supposed to stay from 8/6 to 8/13 but we checked out on 8/12 because we couldn't take the beating any longer.

So for those who want to stay here, please make sure to pack extra bug off, after bites itch eraser to protect your family. Also try to avoid staying here if there's rain in the forecast. Unfortunately for us, it rained 5 out of the 7 days that we were going to stay there. In term of going to the beach, I suggest going to the Jennette's Pier in Nags Head which is 20 minutes drive (depending on traffic from the resort). It offers free parking and a decent outside "shower/water" for you to rinse off. In addition, it's right across the Tanger outlet so you can shop if you want to.

I have owned Sheraton TS and rented plenty into Wyndham and Beachwood has a long way to go compare to the other two. For all of the above observations, I don't think I'm going to take my family back to this place. I hope others that stayed here had a better experience than our family and for those who potentially want to stay here, I hope my observations/experiences help you and your family.
Because of the area I was contemplating going, but thank you for the update, I'll go somewhere else.
 

tschwa2

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I stayed a few days before Easter 2016 on a stop over to Hilton Head (Late March) I enjoyed the area (woods) and the facilities, my DH did not. We had nice weather all 3 days. To me it was like a beach cottage in a campground near the ocean. There are bike racks and when we were there a lot of owners either brought or rented bikes locally. Anytime you are not staying directly on the ocean it is a good idea to bring bug spray when staying in the Carolinas.

Remember if you are exchanging in (vs renting from an owner or using DRI points) there is also a $25ish per day facilities charge. That is probably the main negative in my mind.
 
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Egret1986

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Below are my observations/review regarding my stay at the Beachwood resort at Kitty Hawk OBX NC. I'm interested hearing, reading other vacationers who have stayed at this resort. Also, I'm hoping my observations can help others who wanted to rent/stay at this place.

I am glad this TUG Guest has shared his observations in order to help others considering this resort. I listed this unit on the RENTALS OFFERED forum on TUG.

I rented from another Tug user and I called the owner to learn more about the resort. From looking at the resort's website (https://www.vacationrentalsvabeach.com/beachwoods) the pictures show a good surrounding area with outside pool, a small pond with paddle boats and a decent side indoor water park. In addition, there's picnic area, tennis court, a fitness center and an advertised of 1mile away from the beach. So when I talked to the owner, I asked if there's anything else I should know. Owner said none and we put the deal together for the rental. Owner told me the resort's management moved the rental unit closer to all the activities buildings so that's a plus.

I am not sure if this statement indicates that I was remiss in providing information when "asked if there's anything else I should know." There was a link for the resort in the listing.


Fast forward several weeks to our check in day, we learned that the resort's management has moved us again. I didn't know much to care so I happily check in. I asked about the internet access and the receptionist said it's not worth the cost to pay extra because of the slow/unusable connection. As we drove away from the check-in center to our unit, it starting to sink in that we are in the middle of a forest. All of the units are surrounded by nature/trees/bugs/insects/reptiles. We had cockroaches crawling inside our bathroom, multiple mosquitoes bites and my son's leg was swollen up. We were supposed to stay from 8/6 to 8/13 but we checked out on 8/12 because we couldn't take the beating any longer.

In the link provided above by my renter, it is noted that the resort is set "in the middle of a 100-acre maritime forest surround by lakes, woodlands....". If the link was read beforehand, then it was evident that this resort is in the middle of a maritime forest.

A Hidden Gem Among Outer Banks Resorts
Discover Beachwoods Resort
Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Sound in the middle of a 100-acre maritime forest, Beachwoods Resort is a hidden gem and a four-season destination in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Ideal for outdoor-enthusiasts, the sprawling property is surrounded by lakes, woodlands, rolling dunes and wildlife lovers, and lies adjacent to a 700-acre nature preserve.

So for those who want to stay here, please make sure to pack extra bug off, after bites itch eraser to protect your family. Also try to avoid staying here if there's rain in the forecast. Unfortunately for us, it rained 5 out of the 7 days that we were going to stay there. In term of going to the beach, I suggest going to the Jennette's Pier in Nags Head which is 20 minutes drive (depending on traffic from the resort). It offers free parking and a decent outside "shower/water" for you to rinse off. In addition, it's right across the Tanger outlet so you can shop if you want to.

Unfortunately, I have no control over weather or all my guests would have sunshine throughout their vacations. Having experienced a vacation myself (at another resort) with mostly rain during the week, it can really impact one's enjoyment during a vacation stay.

I have owned Sheraton TS and rented plenty into Wyndham and Beachwood has a long way to go compare to the other two. For all of the above observations, I don't think I'm going to take my family back to this place. I hope others that stayed here had a better experience than our family and for those who potentially want to stay here, I hope my observations/experiences help you and your family.

As with my many other guests this season that stayed at Beachwoods, I forwarded the Diamond Resorts International survey to this renter. I was glad that I had and that the renter responded back to me to share his family's experience. Below is my second email to the renter apologizing for his negative experience. I was appalled that the resort had moved my renter to a different unit without informing me. However, the location of the unit where my renter was moved was still much closer to the resort amenities than the original unit that he rented.

"Had I not sent you the survey, I would hope that you would have still contacted me to communicate your experience. Otherwise, I would have had no idea that there was a problem.

Prior to your email, I had received only positives from my renters this Summer. Two have proceeded to closing on the purchase of the timeshares that they stayed in. Both are new to timeshare ownership, but had such great stays that they wish to ensure a weekly stay at the resort each year. A family that stayed there this past week also contacted me, prior to your email, that they wanted pricing information on the purchase of that ownership. Another renter, contacted me that they planned to bring 16 members of their family next June to the resort and wanted to know if I would be able to provide accommodations for them at Beachwoods.

Initially, when you rented; my unit for this week was located in building 2501. Due to a leap year calendar and Diamond trying to juggle two different timeshare calendars that they didn't anticipate when they acquired this resort in 2015; it was necessary to change the units. They told me you would be moved to unit 1501. I was thrilled since I knew that this would be a plus being considerably closer to the amenities. I was given no indication that you would be placed in the 1400 building. In looking at the resort map, after receiving your email, I do note that it was in the next cul-de-sac away from where the 1500 building is located. But 1400 was still much closer than the original unit 2501.

Sharing this information in no way diminishes your family's experience for me. Again, I am sorry you felt the need to leave early due to your negative experience at the resort. I truly hope that since you are expecting a response from the resort that you will receive a satisfactory one.

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. It is helpful to me."


Again, I am thankful for this TUG Guest sharing his family's experience with me, the resort, DRI, TUG and any other places where a review of Beachwoods has been shared.

And again, I am sorry that this Last Minute Rental through TUG did not meet my renter's expectations, and do not blame him in "I don't think I'm going to take my family back to this place."

As with this renter, I hope others will share their recent stays at Beachwoods. As I stated in my email, "It is helpful to me." Whether negative or positive, I need to know. I haven't been to the resort yet this year, but will be there for the upcoming HOA meeting in October.

Thank you, cruzad3r, for posting. :thumbup:
 

cruzad3r

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Erget1986, it's unfortunated this rental didnot work out, hopefully the next one will be better.
 

pedro47

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The resort is located behind a Wal Mart in the woods and about 2 to 3 miles to the beach.
The majority of the units have too many stairs to climb to reach your vacation unit. Plus, there are "no" elevators in any of their timeshare buildings.

Are these true observations of the resort.
 

tschwa2

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The resort is located behind a Wal Mart in the woods and about 2 to 3 miles to the beach.
The majority of the units have too many stairs to climb to reach your vacation unit. Plus, there are "no" elevators in any of their timeshare buildings.

Are these true observations of the resort.

Very few Outer banks timeshares have elevators or ground floor units. Beachwoods probably has more units with less than a full flight than others. Outer banks is not really a good place to visit if you can't navigate stairs and this is coming from a family who carried someone up two flights of stairs using an emt fabric chair in Nags Head this summer. Beachwoods has more activities and amenities than any other OBX timeshare and this can be especially important during the off season
 

cruzad3r

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The resort is located behind a Wal Mart in the woods and about 2 to 3 miles to the beach.
The majority of the units have too many stairs to climb to reach your vacation unit. Plus, there are "no" elevators in any of their timeshare buildings.

Are these true observations of the resort.

very accurate observations. correct on all points.
 

RLS50

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Very few Outer banks timeshares have elevators or ground floor units. Beachwoods probably has more units with less than a full flight than others. Outer banks is not really a good place to visit if you can't navigate stairs and this is coming from a family who carried someone up two flights of stairs using an emt fabric chair in Nags Head this summer. Beachwoods has more activities and amenities than any other OBX timeshare and this can be especially important during the off season
I agree. All the OBX resorts are on the rustic side, and the people that love OBX seem to almost enjoy that roughing it / camping aspect of it. Being on a barrier island many are built high, with multiple levels, and have stairs to get above potential flood levels. And unfortunately very few have elevators.

Beachwoods is one of the first and few resorts in OBX to have really poured major dollars into renovating to modern facilities and amenities. We think the property is beautiful, and conveniently located, especially if your family likes nature, likes multiple pool options while on vacation, and / or wants to utilize the many outdoor activities.

There are few things IMO still holding Beachwoods back from being great.

(1) I think most owners would agree that the transition from Gold Key to Diamond seems to have been very, very messy, for a number of reasons. Diamond still has some work to do to get things right, but if you saw the place in 2015 vs 2016 vs. 2017, things definitely are getting better, even if progress has been too slow for many and there is still more that needs to be done.

(2) Beachwoods is in the woods, not on the beach. While it may be (to many) a beautiful 100acre property bordering another 600-700acre nature preserve, it isn't on the beach. Getting to the beach requires getting in your car and driving to it. Only a mile or two away, but still probably not realistically walkable for most people in the heat of summer. What makes this an even bigger issue is that so far none of the upgrades suggested / promised / planned for the beach parking lot have been delivered (at least not yet). I believe Gold Key's ultimate vision suggested a bathroom / bath / shower house and a shuttle that would run daily for guests back and forth to the beach, and a lot staffed by attendants with rentals for chairs and umbrellas. Hopefully Diamond pours some money into upgrading the beach parking facility as originally envisioned by Gold Key. Right now Diamond can deliver the "Woods" part of Beachwoods, but isn't really delivering on the "Beach" part yet.

(3) Diamond needs to complete a good amount of additional work / upgrades to stuff like the pool bar and grille, installing high quality working WiFi in all the units, etc, etc.

But going beyond Beachwoods, truthfully there is no perfect resort in OBX in my view. There is no Marriott or Westin level resort property there. They all have their own Pros and Cons. OBX is not Hilton Head. Beachwoods is probably the closest thing now to a major and modernized resort on OBX, but it remains to be seen if Diamond will ever be able to fully deliver on the full potential of the Beachwoods property.

Ironically if you could combine the best features of BIS-Duck with the best features of Beachwoods, you would probably have a pretty awesome resort in OBX.

JMO.
 

Fayeoctober

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Hello. I hope no one minds my commenting here since I have never owned or stayed at Beachwoods, but I do own three weeks at BIS Duck which was just mentioned. My husband is on the Board at BIS Duck. He gets to read all or most of the comment cards submitted especially those which come in via RCI. The comments are generally not good and in addition to those about the interiors - which we will be dealing with hopefully this year - a significant area of concern seems to be the starter packs and the number of towels we provide. It seems like RCI traders expect more in the starter pack - more dishwashing detergent,soap, toilet paper, towels, etc. In my mind starter packs should be just that starter packs. (When BIS Duck was just providing a few coffee filters which were folded, I had a problem with that given the extremely low price of filters and the folding ruined them, but it is my understanding that has been corrected.) Since the Board wants to consider adding to the starter packs (we are working with SPM on this) as well as some other things that will increase costs (again for now forget about the interior issue) I am wondering if BIS Duck should also consider implementing a daily fee for resort amenities in the Summertime for RCI Traders as well as renters other than those renting from an Owner? I have not discussed this at all with my husband but if people are expecting more, maybe they should be willing to pay for it. By the way when the lack of good WiFi was one of the main concerns, BIS spent a fair amount of money for that, so in addition to our great location, we do have excellent WiFi which it sounds like Beachwood doesn't. Some thoughts on implementing a daily fee for RCI traders and renter not renting from Owners is appreciated? By the way, if someone feels this needs to be moved to another thread other than Beachwoods, just move it.
 
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Panina

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Hello. I hope no one minds my commenting here since I have never owned or stayed at Beachwoods, but I do own three weeks at BIS Duck which was just mentioned. My husband is on the Board at BIS Duck. He gets to read all or most of the comment cards submitted especially those which come in via RCI. The comments are generally not good and in addition to those about the interiors - which we will be dealing with hopefully this year - a significant area of concern seems to be the starter packs and the number of towels we provide. It seems like RCI traders expect more in the starter pack - more dishwashing detergent,soap, toilet paper, towels, etc. In my mind starter packs should be just that starter packs. (When BIS Duck was just providing a few coffee filters which were folded, I had a problem with that given the extremely low price of filters and the folding ruined them, but it is my understanding that has been corrected.) Since the Board wants to consider adding to the starter packs (we are working with SPM on this) as well as some other things that will increase costs (again for now forget about the interior issue) I am wondering if BIS Duck should also consider implementing a daily fee for resort amenities in the Summertime for RCI Traders as well as renters other than those renting from an Owner? I have not discussed this at all with my husband but if people are expecting more, maybe they should be willing to pay for it. By the way when the lack of good WiFi was one of the main concerns, BIS spent a fair amount of money for that, so in addition to our great location, we do have excellent WiFi which it sounds like Beachwood doesn't. Some thoughts on implementing a daily fee for RCI traders and renter not renting from Owners is appreciated? By the way, if someone feels this needs to be moved to another thread other than Beachwoods, just move it.
I am against the resort fee for traders. When you trade your week most resorts you will trade into will not have this fee. I avoid trading into timeshares with this fee unless they are very high end resorts. If the resort is renting the unit I am ok with the fee.
 

tschwa2

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I see some Beachwood weeks available through II now. No mention about the resort fee on the advisements page when booking.
 
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