Villas Of Somerset - Opinions please - and other 2 bedrm suite/villa/house options?

[Beejayjay]

My partner and I are planning to bring her 2 kids, 12 and 10, for a two week vacation in Orlando directly after this coming Christmas, on or around the 27th/28th December.

We want a two bedroom suite/villa/apartment/house in the Kissimmee/US 192 area, as I have stayed there often and know the area well.

I've seen the details here and elsewhere for the Villas of Somerset/Laguna Bay resort. It looks a pleasant place - we're not looking for the last word in sophistication and elegance, just a nice, clean, comfortable, relaxed place to chill at on days between parks etc.

They have 2 bed apprtments/villas that would be ideal, and are showing a rate on DreamsUnlimited of around $110 per night for early December, $1520 for the 2 weeks - unfortunately and somewhat oddly the Dreams Unlimited reservations site doesnt yet have 2004 dates as an option.

Does any body have experience of this resort they can relate ? Good, bad, indifferent ? As I said, we dont want anything opulent, 3 star level will be fine.

Alternately, can anyone suggest alternate places/resorts that will fit the bill ? Our only definite requirement are A/C and two completely separate bedrooms so we can have privacy from the boys - a kid suite type room with just a partition isn't really something we like the idea of.

Kissimmee & LBV are our preferrred locations, and we can run to around a thousand bucks a week for the accomodation.

All ideas and suggestions will be greatly appreciated, thanks !!

 

[gyver65]

My wife and three kids have reservations at Wyndham Palms in two weeks. We booked through www.hotelkingdom.com for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath for $89/night. The master bedroom has a jaccuzzi tub. The place is new with a big screen TV and 1552 square feet.

I have read nothing but good reviews about this place and am looking forward to our stay.

It is located just off of hwy 192 in Kissimmee. You can view it at www.thepalmsresort.com

Good Luck!
Bobby

 

[Beejayjay]

Thank you Bobby, I'll be looking the Wyndham Palms up...

And Thanks Robinrs, an Email is on its way as requested.

Can anybody else give me an idea or suggestion ?

 

[RamseyTrio]

Hi there -

In May we stayed at the Doubltree Maingate Villas (on 192, maybe 4 miles-10 minutes- from WDW). It wasn't fancy but it was clean and comfortable. We had a 3 bedroom villa for $99/night thru Dreams Unlimited. 2 bedrooms upstairs (one had 2 dble. beds, one had a king bed), a bedroom (w/ a queen bed) downstairs plus a kitchen and living room.

 

[magicmouse2]

I stayed at Villas of somerset. Adequate and clean but outside - crawling with bugs - even in the pool -which was quite small, (in May). DDs refuse to stay there now...

5 mins from WDW, quiet and secluded gated community.

 

[Belle5]

Wyndham Palms--went to the Hotel Kingdom website and found the offer. There are some pretty strict requirements in order to get that rate. You must make a certain income. You must be married and you and your spouse must attend a 90 minute presentation. You can read for yourself. Unlike the wonderful deal on Vistana Villages that Hotel Kingdom used to offer, there is no housekeeping included in this rate. Oh, well.

 

[Tigger Woods]

Belle5,
You're looking at the Wyndham Palms time share rates on Hotel Kingdom. Look a little further down the list for WYNDHAM PALMS RESORT AND COUNTRY CLUB. There are no restrictions or presentations.

 

[antmaril]

Tigger Woods is right. We are headed to the Wyndham Palms in a couple of weeks. I booked the room on hotelkingdom.com $89 per night - no timeshare presentation involved.

It sounds like a very nice place and it's a great price.

 

[Belle5]

I'm very glad to see I had looked incorrectly. Sounds like it might be a great deal after all!
Antmaril, I will watch for your trip report on this place! I does still sound like house keeping is not included?????

 

[antmaril]

I don't think there is daily housekeeping at this $89 price. I think we will get fresh towels and trash pickup. I don't think it will be a big problem, since we are only stay a few days. We are then moving on to Royal Pacific Resort at Universal.

I've read a lot of positive reviews of the Wyndham Palms on these boards and I feel pretty confident about our choice - and you can't beat the price!! Apparently, the two bedroom villa is 1552 square feet - bigger than my house!!

 

[martina857]

I recently stayed in a Townhouse at Emerald Island Resort, I love Windsor Palms but Emerald Island just edged it for us due to the super landscaping and house designs, stayed privately through an owner.

 

[kalamazoo]

It's been a few years now, but we've stayed at Villas of Somerset twice ( in a 3 bdrm not a 2). Being able to get 3 bdrms was a big advantage to us. A lot of other places don't offer 3 bdrms. It was nice and spacious - biggest living area of any villa we've ever stayed in. Last time we stayed there was daily maid service and they even did the dishes. The kitchen was well equipped and there was a full size washer and dryer. There was a small game room and store that rented videos. The pool was a normal size hotel pool. We did not have any problems with bugs. We were there in March. The location is just down the road from 192, far enough that you can't see any of the lights and commotion although there is the occasional fire engine going by (not loud enough to wake sleeping babies though).

All in all it was just fine (we did go back a 2nd time). That being said we have since moved on to more luxurious grounds closer to WDW. Part of the reason is we can afford a little more now and prefer to be closer to WDW and part of it is the pool has no zero entry area for our kids.

There are a lot of more luxurious places but around Christmas time I suspect they are all going to be much more pricey than the deals people are getting for before Christmas. Your $110/ night sounds pretty good especially since you like to stay in the Kissimmee area.