Live from VBR! Photo's of Beach Cottage and more

[DisDaydreamer]

It is suprising that de-humidifiers would be needed there. Is Vero any more humid than WDW? I would think that the A/C unit would dehumidify the space enough.....

We had a dehumidifier in an 1 bdrm room last year. It really does make a difference and we too emptied it at least once a day (2 gal I think). I believe they brought them in after the hurricanes a few years ago.

 

[groverdog]

Thanks so much for the report and pictures. We are going with lots of family in Jan and are staying in a Beach Cottage for a couple of days. Then it on to BWV in a Grand Villa for the remainder of the week. It will be our first stay in a cottage and its a dream come true for me. Now, after seeing your pictures, I am so excited I think I might die

 

[Pocahantas]

Thanks for sharing your pictures, it looks heavenly. Sorry you are having issues with bugs and cleanliness! We are heading to Vero next summer for a few days and I am really looking forward to it although we won't be in a beach cottage. Enjoy the rest of your stay!!!

 

[lisareniff]

Thanks so much for the pictures Anne!!! Love them!

...although I hate the thought of ants or any other swarmy types.

Which BC are you in? My guess is 1550???

Next time you had a BC and if you were able to choose which one would you?

On you picuture out the front, you can see a building being built or repaired. Is that one of the new condos being built on the adjacent lot?

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Thanks for all the photos and info!! Were those Mimosa's you were drinking? Ah, I am so jealous! lol Beautiful view of the ocean!

 

[goofy4tink]

Got room for one more? I can pack and be there in time for dinner!!! It looks terrific Anne. I'm so looking forward to staying there in the future.

 

[ducklite]

It is suprising that de-humidifiers would be needed there. Is Vero any more humid than WDW? I would think that the A/C unit would dehumidify the space enough.....

It's definitely more humid here than at WDW.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Great photos! Is that an electric fireplace in one of the pictures?

Bobbi

No, no fireplace, you wouldn't need one this time of the year for sure! It's been almost record hot here.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

What you have there are ghost ants or, sometimes called, sugar ants.

They are ubiquitious here in Central Florida.

If I've killed one in my kitchen today, I've probably killed 1,000.

Sprays and/or bombs (except for the nuclear type) are largely temporary and, sadly, ineffective.

It must be a coastal thing, because I don't have them at home. We bought some ant traps that are supposed to contain bait that the ants will take back to the nest and kill them all that way and put them around the kitchen, and they actually seem to have taken care of 99% of the ants.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Just wondering ... How are the beds?

Well, not as nice as home, but definitely not too hard and not at all lumpy or anything. The pillows are plentiful and not squished flat like you often find in hotel rooms.

Anne

 

[OlderMan]

Anne,

What kind of bait did you use for the ants?

What I've got--don't know what brand it is--is fairly ineffective.

I've resorted to rinsing them down the kitchen drains or pounding them to death on the counters and walls.

 

[ducklite]

What great pictures.....thanks for posting! I don't know alot about VB and have yet to stay there, although we'd like to soon. I'm guessing that the beach cottages are impossible to get without the home resort 11 month booking advantage. Am I right?

VBR is not our home resort. I called at the seven month mark and got one with no problem. As far as we can tell, only three or four of the six they have here are even being used. We had actually thought about extending our stay a night and had no problem doing so if we wanted to. (We've since decided to go home because "mama misses her roo-roo" (Translation: I miss my dog. ) and DH has some things he needs to get done around the house. I think it just depends on when you want to come.

Are all the beach cottages right on the water like the one you stayed in? Now THAT vacation looks relaxing!

There's the water, a slip of beach, sand dunes, and then the beach cottages. From the top floor the view is completely unobscured. From the first floor there is some pretty dense foliage that actually affords a great deal of privacy to the bedrooms.

What's the "chair swap"? I've seen it in post titles but don't really know what it's all about.

A bunch of people got together and each pitched in a small amount of money ($10?) and a pair of really, really nice beach chairs and a beach umbrella were purchased. They were originally shipped directly to the resort. The first person checked in and got them from bell services. When they were leaving they packed them into the original packaging, and put the next persons name and arrival date on the box, and so on. It's a great money saver, plus it's been great for us as we've been going to the beach at 6:00 am to watch the sunrise, and the beach chair rental places doesn't open until 9:00 or so.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Which cottage are you in? It looks like the one at the end , not the side with the fire pit but the other end. We stayed last Thanksgiving and it was great!! I had my great grandmother with us and did wish there was a bathroom upstairs, but she managed. Have a great trip!!!

It's 1550. Second from the end on the right side of the resort as you look at the water. It's very private, there are people in the beach cottages on either side of us, and with the foliage you really do'nt see anyone unless you're out on the top beachside balcony.

Anne

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Thanks so much for the report and pictures. We are going with lots of family in Jan and are staying in a Beach Cottage for a couple of days. Then it on to BWV in a Grand Villa for the remainder of the week. It will be our first stay in a cottage and its a dream come true for me. Now, after seeing your pictures, I am so excited I think I might die

Well, after you stay in a beach cottage you'll think you've already died and gone to heaven. We were thinking about a week in key West next year, now we're rethinking and talking 2-3 nights in Key West and five nights at VBR in a Beach Cottage again.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Thanks so much for the pictures Anne!!! Love them!

...although I hate the thought of ants or any other swarmy types.

Which BC are you in? My guess is 1550???

You guessed it!

Next time you had a BC and if you were able to choose which one would you?

I'd probably request 1550 or 1575--we like the privacy and quiet. The two on the far side of the resort were former smoking cottages, although what I've been told all the cottages have been non-smoking for at least four or five years, and after the hurricanes, all the sheetrock, upholstered furniture, carpet, and draperies were replaced, so there is no lingering smell at all.

On you picuture out the front, you can see a building being built or repaired. Is that one of the new condos being built on the adjacent lot?

If you mean this one:

It's across A1A and I have no idea what it actually is.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Anne,

What kind of bait did you use for the ants?

What I've got--don't know what brand it is--is fairly ineffective.

I've resorted to rinsing them down the kitchen drains or pounding them to death on the counters and walls.

I got it at Publix, they are ant traps. Not sure if I still have the box, but I"ll take a look and see if there's a brand name on them and let you know.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

A few more VBR notes...

• There is no Internet in the rooms. Unless you have dial-up of course. There is free Wi-Fi in the lobby. If you don't have a wireless modem, there are a few LAN connections scattered about, and they are happy to lend you a cable.
• Sonya's is now only open Thursday through Sunday.
• I'll scan and post the activities sheet when I get home, but there are non-stop activities for kids of all ages. Most a free, a few things cost a few dollars.
• Because there are so few people here, a lot of the activities end up being "private events." DH and I attended a wine tasting and were the only people there. We saw a boy who looked to be about nine doing a turtle walk activity early on the beach with one of the biologists here at the resort, and he spent about 90 minutes with one-on-one time identifying and marking turtle nests.
• There is entertainment each night in the Green Cabin Room--it seems to alternate between a jazz pianist and a jazz guitarist. The guitarist is technically a better musician, the pianist is more enjoyable. (I know most people couldn't care less, but for those who are musicians themselves, it might be useful.)
• For those with food allergies, the chefs are as careful here as they are at WDW. We ate at Shutters last night, and the chef created an amazingly wonderful dish for me by altering something on the menu. It was one of the better meals I've had in a very long time. I told him that he should make it a regular menu item, and he said that as he was "building it" he had been thinking about that.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Amazing pics and great details on VB! I don't know much about it but it seems like everyone that has tried it seems to like it. If we can pry ourselves away from the park I would definitely give it a "go." Thanks for sharing!!

 

[marymrg]

Great pics. I can't wait to get back "home".

 

[lisareniff]

Thanks for all the info Anne!!

For those with food allergies, the chefs are as careful here as they are at WDW. We ate at Shutters last night, and the chef created an amazingly wonderful dish for me by altering something on the menu. It was one of the better meals I've had in a very long time. I told him that he should make it a regular menu item, and he said that as he was "building it" he had been thinking about that.

I was wondering if the menu was similar to what is posted on AllEars?

That is such a pared down version from the menu I have from when we were there spring of '06. I recently talked to the head chef about the menu, or lack of it. Their restaurant got the same treatment that all WDW restaurants received, however it sounds like they have gotten permission to be more independent in the future. I'm hoping by April there will be a bit more variety in the menu at Shutters.