Club Wyndham Grand Palms

The resort itself was pretty decent, but that sales meeting was a mess. We're Wyndham owners, and at check-in they asked us to attend an informational meeting. They said it would be 45 minutes, we'd get a free prize, and nobody would try to upsell us. We agreed because it sounded quick. An hour and a half later, a higher-up was pitching us anyway. He claimed the owners had voted for a big jump in maintenance fees, but said they wouldn't rise again for ten years. He also said we hadn't switched to a hybrid plan with more access, that it wouldn't cost extra, and that our loan payment and maintenance fees would still double this year, from about $290 to $537. I told him I wasn't paying twice as much for what I'd already agreed to and would leave the Wyndham timeshare if that was the deal. Luke replied that you can't get out of it and he didn't know anyone who had. He blamed the increase on an owners' vote. I said I never got any notice or chance to vote, and he compared it to presidential elections, saying the majority vote counts whether you got to vote or not. Luke had a very expensive suit he was high-watering in, pricey shoes with no socks, and slicked-back hair. He came across like a typical sleazy salesperson, saying whatever it took to get a sale and hoping people would go along with it. Of the 8-10 Wyndham meetings we've attended over the years, we genuinely liked two or three people. Most seem to look down on you and say anything to fill their pockets. As owners, we won't attend these meetings again. Many are pushy and will lie to your face just to make money.

The indoor pool is heated, the pool area is warm, and there are about 10 loungers plus a hot tub. The gym is typical, with weight machines, a couple of treadmills, a stepper, and free weights. Both facilities are a good 8-10 minute walk from our unit. The men's changing area was clean and spacious. Our second-floor unit in the Presidential area was about half a mile from check-in. It had two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and laundry, with a connecting door to the neighboring unit. The main bedroom opened onto a deck overlooking tall brush. There was a large flat-screen TV in each bedroom and another in the living room. Each bedroom had a full bathroom. The main bath had a Jacuzzi, and the shower had two built-in seats, though the shower head may be too low for someone over six feet tall. Everything we used in the kitchen worked. We bring our own coffee, but couldn't find filters the first morning. The drip maker came with two regular and two decaf coffee bags. The front desk first told me to put the coffee in the maker, which I didn't understand. They called back later to explain that the bags already contained grounds in a container that acts as a filter. The coffee was standard, so we went out and bought filters. Check-in at the building off 17 was quick and easy. At the VIP desk we got a parking pass and resort map, plus a brief invitation to a presentation for a gift. I politely declined because I just wanted to relax, and there was no pressure. We each got a Moon Pie, and the lobby was decorated nicely for the holidays.

The main downside was the timeshare meeting. It was billed as 90 minutes, but we were there for more than three and a half hours, and they kept pushing after we said no thanks. The studio room we booked through our timeshare was spacious and had a large bathroom with a jetted tub. In the kitchenette there was a good-sized fridge, dishwasher, hotplate, and dishes. The king bed was very soft, but so high off the floor that, at 5'4", I felt like I had to throw myself up onto it. We didn't use the washer-dryer combo. The pool was nice, with a snack bar, and the resort was near lots of restaurants. These studio rooms are upstairs only, with no elevator.

The room wasn't very clean. These condo units have both residents and hotel guests, and the people living upstairs were noisy and rude. Whenever they heard our door close, they'd run around and drop things, just bothering the guests. Terrible.