Thomas cook villas???

[a jay]

Has anyone ever stayed in a villa through Thomas cook?
If you have can you answer any of the following questions?

1 Was the villa AOA?
2 Did you collect the keys from a property managment company?
3 Where was the villa situated?

 

[Camershy]

Hi, I'm dying to know the answer to your questions too! Very frustrating not knowing where we are going to be staying (although we were told our villa was with Florida Choice management company)

 

[castanea1985]

Has anyone ever stayed in a villa through Thomas cook?
If you have can you answer any of the following questions?

1 Was the villa AOA?
2 Did you collect the keys from a property managment company?
3 Where was the villa situated?

I think you'll find most TA's the same, whether it be Thomas Cook, TCD, Virgin etc.
1.If the villa is AOA, they won't know where it is until a few weeks before and the guest wont know literally until they arrive at the airport, and get directions.
2. Again, the guest might collect the keys from a central office, but they also might have a lock box at their villa, and will be given a code for this at the airport.
3. An AOA villa can be anywhere, it just depends on what villas are free at the time! You're very unlikely to get a community like Windsor Hills or Formosa Gardens as these areas command premium rates and are generally not used for AOA villas. The villa could literally be anywhere up or down the 27, along the 192, Poinciana Blvd or Champions Gate areas.
4. An AOA villa will probably be more basic than a villa that is booked directly, you might be overlooked, or have a north facing pool, or no games room, or internet access. Its basically a chance you take with AOA.

Hope this helps a little?

Tracy xx

 

[a jay]

Thanks for the reply. It is sooooo frustrating not knowing where we will be staying. This is the first time we have done AOA and i think it will be the last! I don't know what i was thinking when i agreed to AOA (i do, it was oh my god we're going back!!!) My husband keeps telling me to stop worrying as long as it's clean and it's got a pool. Easy for him to say.

 

[castanea1985]

Thanks for the reply. It is sooooo frustrating not knowing where we will be staying. This is the first time we have done AOA and i think it will be the last! I don't know what i was thinking when i agreed to AOA (i do, it was oh my god we're going back!!!) My husband keeps telling me to stop worrying as long as it's clean and it's got a pool. Easy for him to say.

You'll be fine!!

Have a great trip!

Tracy xx

 

[tttessa]

Hiya - you will be fine - we did this with Virgin in April and ended up on a lovely, mainly residential development on the 27 just off the end of the 192 - quiet, near enough to Disney (10-20 min drive using the Black Lake/Sherbeth road shortcut) and close to a Walmart and loads of diners etc. It was well equipped with a great pool.

For Virgin, we had to pick up details from Virgin office (just off the 27) on arrival from the airport then key was in a lock box at the villa - don't know how TC do it, but we had 48 hours to sign the contract in the Agent's presence - which we didn't know about before we got to Florida - they left a card with an appointment where they would have come to the Villa at 9am the first morning... not convenient, so we went to them after our first park day... This was when we could ask for pool heating (needed in April!!)

We would do it again, and again, and again - it was cheap (less than £600 for 10 days rental of a 4 bed villa with pool) and we had a good first experience. I was worried what we had to put on our Visa Waiver etc for our first night's address, but the Villa Rental office address was on the tickets for us to use.

Sorry can't answer for your travel agent, but I would guess they are all very similar from what we saw out there. Have a great time!!!!! I'm envious....

Tessa

 

[Camershy]

Tessa, thanks for your post - I feel a lot more reassured now!