Exchange out--Marriott Manor Club at Ford's Colony--Williamsburg, VA

[Berta]

Dearest Mods, please relocate this to the apporpriate location, if necessary! Thanks!

Is anyone familiar with the Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony in Williamsburg, VA? We have a hold on a 2 BR for 1 week next June and I'm looking for any info that someone can share regarding the property...quality of accomodations, can I request a specific location when/if this is confirmed, if so, what areas are better, how close is it REALLY to area attractions, quality of service, amenities, [/B][/I]would you stay there again????, [/I][/B]etc.

I was also looking at Williamsburg Plantation & King's Creek Plantation, so any info on these is welcome also. The II book says they are all 5*, but I'm not familiar with II resorts, so this has no meaning for me.

This is our first exchange out; I'm nervous about this going well , and we're also bringing along my Mom (75 yo), and she's pretty picky (yes, worse than me), so I need all the help I can get!

TIA for any advice you can share!!! I'll be happy to post a trip report when the time comes!

Berta

 

[spiceycat]

we stayed in the older part Manor Club at Ford's Colony - the new part is across the street and called something else by II.

if you like to golf you will love this place.

if you don't it is pretty far - around 30 minutes from Col Williamsburg. that say it is still the best timeshares in the area.

It was further from bush gardens 45 minutes? Oh I can't recommend bush gardens. especially with your mother - it has lots and lots of hills. Also can't recommend the paying part of Col Williamsburg. Now the free part is great - but at times you would have to push her in a wheelchair over gravel. that really, really need to rethink this place.

with Busch gardens it was all the hills.

the best and easier to get around was - the national park - Jamestown. Again about 30 minutes away.

there I would have loved it - but mother and spicey - were both trying to have my full attention..... I was pretty mad at the times - now it was funny.

 

[katallo]

We have stayed at King's Creek Plantation several times. It's a great resort. The two bedrooms are wonderful and it's very convenient to Busch Gardens.

 

[rlduvall]

We stayed at Marriott Ford Manor in a 1 bedroom last year. The rooms are very colonial looking - which is a look I really enjoy, with reasonably upscale furnishings, very high ceilings. It was a great room and my DH couldn't believe what a nice place I found. (rented from Marriott directly for $145. a night) A huge whirlpool tub was located in the master bedroom, but it took way too long to fill it and I gave up on it. Nice screened in porch; apartment sized kitchen, but very nice. Beautiful dining room table with 6 chairs and a chandelier over it - boxed in window seat in living room.

We were in the newer rooms, which really don't have as much character as the older looking part (the actual "Manor"). As mentioned earlier, it is a ways from Colonial Williamsburg and other touristy places, but we didn't mind at all; the area is so pretty. You go through an upscale residential area to get there - golf courses are all around.

On another note, the ghost tours at Colonial Williamsburg were alot of fun - not too scary.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask me.

Have fun!!!!

 

[Dean]

Manor Club will certainly be the best of the these resorts. None of these are close enough to Colonial Williamsburg to be a major plus in that regard. To my knowledge, the only resort truly going to be close in cloning Williamsburg are are the Westgate resort next two William and Mary college and the bluegreen resort which is is currently being renovated from a couple of hotels including the Patrick Henry Inn.

I don't believe that non Marriott exchangers get the free golf plan not certain. Overall Williamsburg is not a difficult exchange and that includes the fourth of July.

 

[dvc_john]

I don't believe that non Marriott exchangers get the free golf plan not certain.

I think that's correct.
I've been there twice. On a non-Marriott exchange, we didn't get the free golf. On a Marriott exchange, we did get the free golf.

 

[thegoods]

We just returned from the Manor Club using our points with II for the first time. We had a great time. Totally different trip for the family since we spent so much time exploring history. The resort is only a 10 minute drive to Colonial Williamsburg. 20 or so to Busch Gardens, 20 to Jamestown and 40 to Yorktown. 60 to Norfolk. The resort is secluded and off the beaten Route 60 path, yet not that far away. We were, frankly, surprised because traffic congestion was never an issue. Grocery was only 2.5 miles away.

We liked the resort. Found the rooms to be very nice. We had a 1 BR that "felt" larger than most DVC resorts with the exception of OKW. Although we did not use the pools, they looked very nice. My son and I used the B-ball court and it was great. Prices in the gift shop were much better than DVC. It was nice being able to get a personal Pizza Hut pizza at the end of a long day for less that $4.

We would like to return in the future and take advantage of the resort amenities and activities but on this past trip, our goal was history sightseeing. I think we were out of our room far more that we are at WDW. You will enjoy the resort and location.

 

[Starr W.]

We just returned from the Manor Club using our points with II for the first time. We had a great time. Totally different trip for the family since we spent so much time exploring history. The resort is only a 10 minute drive to Colonial Williamsburg. 20 or so to Busch Gardens, 20 to Jamestown and 40 to Yorktown. 60 to Norfolk. The resort is secluded and off the beaten Route 60 path, yet not that far away. We were, frankly, surprised because traffic congestion was never an issue. Grocery was only 2.5 miles away.

We liked the resort. Found the rooms to be very nice. We had a 1 BR that "felt" larger than most DVC resorts with the exception of OKW. Although we did not use the pools, they looked very nice. My son and I used the B-ball court and it was great. Prices in the gift shop were much better than DVC. It was nice being able to get a personal Pizza Hut pizza at the end of a long day for less that $4.


We would like to return in the future and take advantage of the resort amenities and activities but on this past trip, our goal was history sightseeing. I think we were out of our room far more that we are at WDW. You will enjoy the resort and location.

Glad you like it, I stayed at Kingsmill for a business meeting and that was very nice(the one places I would like to take all the "I need a car at OKW/SSR" people, because it would show them a resort that you truly need a car ).



I have been to Williamsburg 2x for business meetings, Kingsmill trip week before Easter(Palm Sunday-Thursday) and the traffic wasn't bad at all(hardly any crowds at Jamestown or Yorktown), then in early October, it seemed more crowded but I was staying in one of the "official" Colonial Williamsburg hotels, right in the middle of the colonial part.

I have been working on DH to go to Williamsburg for years, my 10 yr old would love it.

 

[Connears]

Our exchange to Manor Club At Ford's Colony was our first non-dvc vacation since we bought in 1994. We went in June 2005 and loved it! Our DS was allowed to take a friend so we had 2 14-year old boys with us. We had a 1-bdroom in the 2nd phase of the resort. Beautiful villa with full dining room talbe and fireplace(which the boys used once with the a/c on!) and we really loved the screened in porch for when it cooled off at night. At the resort, the kids played tennis every night, went to the video arcade games, and rented movies(we also brough out Playstation an Xbox). We got pizza from the pizza hut there once and it was nice to have it on property. Pools were also nice. We got a multi-pass for Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown/Jamestown, Bucsh Gardens and went to each one and the resort was very convenient for all. It was too hot and humid for some of the historic stuff, but we tried to do alot. The concierge desk at the resort was very hekpful for planning and restaurant suggestions/reservations.
We would defintely return there..beautiful resot, great service. Don't know if other Marriott's are the same.
Connears

 

[Berta]

You have all been SO helpful, and I feel so much better about this now! We decided to go for it, and the plan is for Mom to come along. Is there any way to find out what unit # we have in advance, and does anyone know if there is a property map for MMC available? (Not on the website that I could find...)

Thanks so much for all of your opinions, and all the very helpful advice. Mom does pretty well in getting around, and it sounds like there's enough things to do on the property itself that we'll all be fine if we take a day off of touring. The ability to exchange out was one reason why we went with DVC...but I can always use more points!! Oh Honey....

Thanks again for your helpful info! DISers are the best!