info on virgin villas please.

[DisneyAli]

Further to my previous question about the fantasy club villas, after spending a little time on virgins website it actually works out £20.00 (twenty) cheaper to have one of their 3 bedroom villas with pool for the same 2 weeks!!!!

Any info as to where these are, what they are like, has anyone stayed at them and how do they get allocated at the airport and how do you go about getting the keys etc. thanks for any help. Alison.

 

[Disbabe]

I asked the exact same question a while ago as we are stopping in a 3 bed villa with pool with Virgin and unfortunately got no replies of any value.
We have just received our tickets and within the pack it includes a map and driving instructions on how to get to the Virgin service centre where you get the keys from which is just off the 192 and 27 junction, to the west of Disney. I am presuming that our house will be based somewhere in this area.
At least in the future when anyone else asks the question I'll be able to answer as nobody seems to have stayed in one who frequents these boards.

 

[DisneyAli]

Thanks for replying.

Your valuable input on this question when you get back would be very much appreciated. In the meanwhile here`s wishing you a fabulous holiday.

 

[JANNYANS]

The problem with booking a home through an agent such as Virgin is that they don't tell you where you are staying as they may not have allocated you somewhere yet.If you want to know where you will stay before you go you could try booking directly with an owner as they will give you all the information you need .

 

[MalcolmC]

Originally posted by JANNYANS
The problem with booking a home through an agent such as Virgin is that they don't tell you where you are staying as they may not have allocated you somewhere yet.If you want to know where you will stay before you go you cpuld try booking directly with an owner as they will give you all the information you need .

As a villa owner, I'd second that JANNYANS!!

The office is indeed just up "27" from us about 3 miles, but I'm afraid the house could be almost anywhere in a 15 mile radius from there, from Southern Dunes to Lake Berkley or Poincianna

That's why you should book direct and then you know exactly what you are getting and where it is.

 

[Enright78]

As a non villa owner I would also agree!! Even though it can be a bit of a leapof faith the first time, we always now book with the same villa owner (who has four properties in the area) and now gives us discounts as "regulars"!
In addition we can pick up our keys at the villa itself, or he will even post us a set before we leave to take with us. AND he will buy us a "welcome pack" to our specifications to be there when we arrive.
I'd be very unwilling to book any other way now!!

 

[Dimplenose]

You're right about it being a leap of faith, I'm toying with the idea of using a villa next time we visit Florida (in a couple of years time probably). I keep looking at villas on the internet but the thought of sending hundreds of pounds and credit card details to a company or person I've not dealt with before is making me nervous.

However the thought of someone else choosing a villa for me fills me with different fears.

At least I've got plenty of time to think before we're planning to go again.

Libby

 

[JANNYANS]

Dimplenose try looking at it this way.You are worried about giving a stranger hundreds of pounds yet as an owner we willing entrust our homes worth thousands to complete strangers- ask yourself who should be more worried?And anyway who says a big company can't get into trouble look at My Travel . Most owners I know of do not take credit cards so there should be no troubles on that score either.I understand your worries and believe me a private owner will be at the end of a phone to hold your hand all the way through the process if that is what you want.At least when you ring them up you speak to the same person everytime .When you are ready for your next trip give an owner a go -you won't be disappointed I promise.

 

[Disbabe]

Why is it that people can be negative about something they may not have tried.
I feel slightly disappointed that when I have asked questions about Virgin Villas I have only received negative replies about using them - doesn't anybody realise that they may actually be very good and I certainly wouldn't try putting someone off using Virgin to book a villa as it has taken all the stress out of putting a package together. I have had absolutely fantastic holidays with Virgin and trust what is said in the brochure when they award them with 4 ticks out of 5
I have myself booked hotels, flights and tickets separately but when you are spending so much money its easier to rely on a holiday company - the expense is my worry if that's what I choose to do.

 

[JANNYANS]

Disbabe no-one is negative about the villas themselves but your post on the tickets thread asked about their office and where the villas might be and the truth is your home could be anywhere .I have tried using an agent and found the whole process of going to one place to collect keys and then onto a home a bind especially after a long flight and usually in the dark.Of course you are at liberty to plan and organise your hoilday in the way you want but this board is all about opinions and each one of us is entitled to take or leave them as we see fit.

 

[Dimplenose]

I'm certainly not dimissing Virgin's villas at the moment. I think that the security (perceived or otherwise) of using a firm I'm comfortable with may well outweigh the advantages of booking directly with an owner. I'm looking forward to hearing of your experiences as these may give me a more balanced view when it comes to my future decision.

Do have a great holiday.

Libby

 

[trashcanman]

On the subject of villas etc, I may be teaching 'grandmother to suck eggs' but I booked my trip (a 2-centre) entirely over the internet with a seperate fly-drive, DW hotel for a week and then a private villa and got a deal which matched exactly what I want with the villa in my chosen location. All this AND I saved 1/3rd off any tour operators price!!

As far as I was concerned, why let Virgin (or anyone else) tell me where I was going to stay and pay an arm & leg for the privilege!

 

[WDWfan uk]

...... just to get this thread back on track, can anyone who has used Virgin advise Alison regards collecting her keys etc.

 

[JANNYANS]

She already has that info-see Disbabes posting

 

[peter r]

Hi Disbabe

We'll also be interested to hear how you get on with your Virgin villa as we have one booked for August & haven't been with them before. So please let us all know how it goes

Can't wait!!!

Peter